Prism
by Calger
Summary: Sequel to "An Inn in Hokkaido". Yanagi returns, much stronger than before, and armed with a strange technique: splitting ki. With Kenshin seperated into three bodies how will everyone manage, especially when faced with an unchained Battousai? [Complete]
1. chapter 1

Prism  
by Calger459  
Chapter 1  
  
Conventions: *...* is emphasis, //...// is thoughts  
  
If I could sum this fic up in one phrase it would be...well, a psyche fic. Kenshin's to be exact. I've been fascinated with the rather odd structure of our favorite rurouni's mind for some time now and I really wanted to write a fic exploring it, in a way different than other fics have done. The problem was getting the various sides of Kenshin to interact outside of a dreamscape...so I came up with a pretty wacky (and Watsuki-style implausible) situation to make my idea work, I hope you can all forgive me and suspend your disbelief, I'll do my best to make it work convincingly. My general goal is a plot-driven character study; this fic is of a larger scope than my previous ones, it may crash and burn (I have faith in my beta-reader though, so that shouldn't happen ^_^ ) but I'll do my best. R/R is not only appreciated but also necessary; please let me know how I'm doing! Oh yes, spoilers for the Revenge arc in this chapter, if you're reading this I assume you're well-grounded in RK lore and the events following the Kyoto arc, it also really helps to have read my previous fic "An Inn in Hokkaido", since this story functions as a sequel to it and reuses a specific character from that story.  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own RK, never will, I just like Kenshin a whoooooole bunch and I can't stay away from him *glances fondly at OVA Kenshin animation cel hanging framed on her bedroom wall and sighs happily*; enough with that, enjoy the fic!  
  
~*~  
  
Sano couldn't help it. He laughed right in the rurouni's face.  
  
Kenshin scowled in what he hoped was a fearsome manner; to Sano though, he just ended up looking even sillier. The young ex-streetfighter was now laughing so hard he looked like he was about to roll right off the porch. "Oh that's a good one, Kenshin! Hahahaha!"  
  
"It's not funny, Sano! You-" Kenshin's jaws worked, but nothing more came out.  
  
Sano grinned. "You can be so ridiculous sometimes, you know that? She just wants to buy you a shirt, man! You act like the world's ending or something."  
  
Kenshin frowned and scuffed the dirt with his shoe. "She shouldn't have to," he muttered.  
  
Impossibly, Sano's grin got even wider. "Are you actually *pouting*? Oh this is good! You only have the one gi since your other one got skewered, right? I say go for it."   
  
Kenshin tried to picture himself doing laundry and gardening in a brand-new and possibly expensive gi (which Kaoru would expect him to wear) and felt his despair increase. "But I'll ruin it!"  
  
Sano rolled his eyes. "What are you, two? Whining about a shirt, of all things..."  
  
"KENSHIN!"  
  
Both men jumped as Kaoru's impatient voice rang across the yard. "You're not getting out of this one, rurouni! Let's go before the good ones are taken."  
  
"Like that would happen," Kenshin muttered; Sano gave him a not-so-gentle shove in the back.  
  
"C'mon man, she's getting pissed, besides she's your wife now."  
  
Kenshin glanced back over his shoulder. "So?"  
  
Sano sighed. "Forget it, if you have to ask then there's no point. Good luck."  
  
Resigned to his fate, Kenshin managed a small smile. "Thanks."  
  
~*~  
  
An impatient rustle of cloth attracted the rurouni's attention. His eyes came to rest on the bobbing obi bow on the other end of the room.  
  
"Hmm...maybe a green one?" Kaoru sorted impatiently through the men's gi in the   
rack, obviously disappointed in the selection. "Purple would set off your eyes...but maybe blue would be better." She pondered that for a moment, then shook her head again. "They don't have the right *shade* of blue though! This one's far too light, and this one's almost black..." Kaoru glanced critically at her husband, who stood shifting nervously from foot to foot in the cramped clothing store. "Black isn't right, is it?"  
  
Kenshin stared helplessly back at her. "No?"  
  
Kaoru sighed in exasperation, turning back to the kimono. "Honestly Kenshin, you're no help at all! This is *your* outfit we're discussing here."  
  
//This wasn't exactly my idea...// "The color really doesn't matter all that much to me, koishii. Any will do." Kenshin was really starting to regret letting Kaoru talk him into this. Now grocery shopping, that he could handle. After all tofu, eggplant, fish; those were simple concrete things, you just plucked them off the vendor's cart and you were done. You never had to wonder if the color of the fish matched your eyes...  
  
"Nonsense, the color of one's clothes is very important, and yours should be just right." Kaoru passed one by, then paused and headed back, pulling the gi out into the light for better inspection. "Emerald green...yes I like that. Come over here, Kenshin."  
  
Wanting nothing more than to run from this torture Kenshin obediently edged closer, allowing his wife to hold the cloth up to his face. "This sets off your hair so nicely! It's a little too dark for your skin though. You're already so pale; you'd look like a ghost in this. Hmm..."  
  
Kaoru was obviously enjoying this, and Kenshin figured that was why he'd put up with it for the past four hours (and three previous clothing shops). After all fashion, as far as he was concerned, was such a *useless* endeavor. As long as the outfit kept you warm and somewhat protected from the elements, what did it matter what it looked like? He had to admit though that when Kaoru on occasion dressed up "just so" in one of her mother's silk kimono it sent his heart racing. He cast a fond glance at his wife.  
  
"Oh goodness, we'll just have to try another store, Kenshin. Surely someplace in this city has something for you."  
  
Kenshin's heart sank. More? Even *more* time spent in this agonizingly boring pursuit? He tried and failed to suppress a groan. "Kaoru, wouldn't you rather take a nice walk by the river or go to the Akabeko or...something else? This really isn't that important...ow!"  
  
Kenshin winced as Kaoru's shoe ground sharply onto his toes. "Anata, let's get something straight here, *this* gi-" she tugged at the collar of his kimono, "-has long since passed it's prime." She cast an annoyed glance at the heavily patched garment, which was faded by the sun and stained with the-gods-only-knew what. "I refuse to let *my* husband wander around looking like some penniless ronin! You can't just own one shirt anyway; it's absurd!"  
  
"It can't help it if it's well loved de gozaru," Kenshin whimpered, trying unsuccessfully to pull his sleeve from Kaoru's iron grip. "I never had the money for new clothes!"  
  
"Which is why we're not wasting this rare opportunity!" Kaoru grinned sweetly at him and started to lead him out of the shop. "I refuse to give up before we've looked at all our options, come on!"  
  
As if by magic, the shopkeeper suddenly appeared from the storeroom. "Oh Kaoru-san, no! I think I may have just the thing for him if you'll wait a moment and allow me to take a few measurements..." Kaoru considered, then nodded.  
  
"Ororoo..." Kenshin sighed and stood miserably with arms outstretched as the shopkeeper went to work. He knew that any gi chosen for him would be far too large and would have to be altered. Behind him he could hear Kaoru still thumbing through the kimono rack.  
  
The old woman circled Kenshin quickly, expertly taking measurements. "I think a patterned gi of more than one color would suit you best, Himura-san, to compliment your hair. Such a lovely and rare color should not go to waste."  
  
Karou spun around with a clap of her hands, face beaming. "My thoughts exactly! Green and white...do you have any of that?"  
  
The shopkeeper marked a list of numbers down on a small strip of paper. "Of course, let me go select some for you." She flashed an admiring grin at Kenshin. "I think I know just the one for this handsome lad here!"  
  
Kenshin blushed and lowered his arms. //Please, just let's finish this and go home! // He was far too polite to say such things however, so he simply smiled at his wife as she took his hand. "This is so exciting Kenshin, can't you just wait until the others see you? You'll be like a new man!"  
  
Sano's laughter echoed through his memory, amused beyond words that a man of his age had to be shopped for and dressed like a child. He seriously doubted Sano's opinion would change for anything. "How?"  
  
Kaoru blinked. "How what?"  
  
Kenshin frowned. "How would having a new gi make me someone or something else? It's just cloth; nothing more."  
  
She raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Oh really? I suppose that's why you kept wearing that horrid pink gi for so many years then, because "it was just cloth" and didn't mean anything to you. Honestly!"  
  
Kenshin gave her a funny look. "Kaoru," he said seriously, "was it really *that* horrible?"  
  
Kaoru blinked rapidly; she hadn't expected a counter-question. "Well...um..."  
  
"You know, one of you could have said something." He shook his head with a smile. "I must admit though that I was a bit...attached to it." He cast a brief glance at her recently acquired magenta hair ribbon, the only thing left of his old gi. "But in the end it was still just a shirt."  
  
Kaoru sighed and leaned her forehead on his shoulder. "It was only a joke, Kenshin."  
  
"Gomen," he murmured into her hair, breathing in its sweet jasmine scent. He did tend to take things too seriously sometimes, and he was grateful to have such an understanding woman as his wife. She always had a calming effect on him, bringing him back to reality when his worries and silly fears got the best of him. The tender moment was quickly interrupted by the return of the shopkeeper. Though he was annoyed by the intrusion, Kenshin had to admit she had good taste.  
  
"Oooh," Kaoru breathed, "it's lovely!"  
  
The kimono the elderly woman held in her hands was a deep forest green with a white triangle pattern on the collar and sleeves. Kaoru could also see that it was not cotton but silk; her hopes suddenly dimmed. Silk was not only expensive, but it was too nice for daily wear; her active housekeeper of a husband would run it into the ground within a week, of that she was sure.  
  
The old woman noted the look in her eyes. "You had something else in mind, didn't you?"  
  
"Well...it's just that he needs to be able to wear this every day, and..."  
  
Kenshin studied the gi, noting the shift in Kaoru's mood. He could tell how much she wanted to see him in that gi; this was important to her, even if he himself was puzzled by it. "We'll take it."  
  
"Nani?!" Kaoru shot a shocked glance at her husband. "Kenshin no, it's too expensive!"  
  
"We'll take this one and the dark blue cotton one over there-" Kenshin indicated the kimono rack with a jerk of his head. "I'll cover the extra cost, koishii."  
  
"With *what*?" Kaoru stared at Kenshin as if he'd lost his mind.   
  
//Damn. Think fast. // "I had an extra few yen stored away that I brought with me today," he said quickly, "this seems like a good way to use it."  
  
The shopkeeper cast uneasy glances between them. "Forgive me Kaoru-san, I didn't mean to cause you any embarrassment. I'll go find something else."  
  
Kenshin met his wife's startled and now slightly angry gaze and suddenly wanted to run. His decision has been spontaneous, an effort to make her happy. He'd thought it would work, but it seemed to be having the opposite effect. //Oh Kami-sama what have I done...// Kaoru's gaze turned thoughtful and she stared at him for a full minute, apparently weighing the details in her mind. Suddenly, she looked away. "No we'll take it, as he says. That is, presuming he really has the money for it." Her voice held an undeniable note of challenge.  
  
Pasting on a neutral rurouni smile, Kenshin reached for his wallet and handed it to the shopkeeper under Kaoru's astonished nose. "That should cover it, I think. Thank you very much."  
  
~*~  
  
Kenshin breathed in the sweet air of spring, relieved to be out of the cramped and dusty clothing shop. They made their way back to the dojo slowly, turning down the streets and alleys that had become so familiar to him since coming to Tokyo. //I remember walking with her like this after we first met, on the day Yamagata finally tracked me down. I remember the sun was shining down on us, just like now. Has it really been a year since then? Only a year, and yet it seems like an eternity. // A year ago, walking down this street with the young woman he'd so recently saved from a vengeful swordsman, he'd still been a rurouni, wandering aimlessly with no home or family...or wife. The city had been new to him then, filled with strange sights and people. Nevertheless, even such a large and busy city wouldn't have kept him occupied for long; he would have moved on long ago and continued his wandering if it weren't for the woman by his side. Kenshin smiled to himself as he glanced over at the still furiously embarrassed Kaoru, the bundle containing his new shirts pressed tightly to her chest. Kenshin briefly wondered if he should have spent his money so blatantly. //No it's all right, she'll get over it soon...I hope. After all, she's the one that pushed for the outfit. // Kenshin studied her flushed face, which now seemed more pensive than angry. //I should apologize though...or at least explain. // "It was from Yamagata-san."  
  
Startled from her thoughts, Kaoru blinked and looked over at him. "What was?"  
  
"The money," he said plainly. "For Kyoto, right after we returned. He insisted that I take it, and he is not the kind of man to take no for an answer, not even from me." Kenshin smiled and was rewarded with the relief that flooded her face. "What, you thought I'd gotten it from someplace bad?"  
  
"Oh, no!" Kaoru laughed, and the sun caught her eyes, for one moment lighting them up like blue flame. Kenshin was entranced. "Goodness Kenshin, I know you better than that! It's just that we've only had this new student for a few weeks, and I knew that money wasn't enough for silk..." she trailed off. Kenshin suddenly felt a bit guilty for his moment of extravagance; after all, there probably wasn't any more money coming, not for awhile. He was sure that if he asked Yamagata the man would gladly pay him several times that amount, but Kenshin couldn't stand the thought of being compensated for his actions as a hitokiri, no matter the circumstances.  
  
//Stop that! // he ordered himself. // Enough brooding. That's all over with now, forever. // Yamagata had actually tracked him down on a shopping trip to give him the money, and had refused to leave the former hitokiri alone until he'd accepted it. He'd only remembered the money this morning sorting through his travel bag looking for an extra underkimono. Kenshin had no idea how the money had ended up in such an odd place, but he was glad he had found it.  
  
"Oh!" Kaoru suddenly stopped walking. "The Akabeko, I was supposed to stop by there!"  
  
"For what?" Kenshin asked curiously.  
  
Kaoru suddenly looked uncomfortable, as if she'd accidentally given away some important secret. "Um...Tae-san said she wanted to give something to me, and that I had to pick it up today. I'll have to go back. Kenshin, do you mind going ahead and starting some rice for dinner? I'll bring Yahiko back with me, he's off work early tonight."  
  
Kenshin never liked the idea of his wife wandering off alone, but the Akabeko wasn't far and he knew she could take care of herself, as she so often reminded him. Swallowing his protective instincts, he nodded. "Certainly, koishii. Be careful."  
  
Kaoru sighed. That was her Kenshin, ever the worrier. "It's the Akabeko Kenshin, I'll be fine; I should be back in a half hour, no more." She handed him the bundle and waved her goodbye as she turned and hurried back up the street.  
  
Kenshin watched her go until she disappeared around a corner. Only then was he able to rouse himself and continue on toward the dojo. It had taken an extreme effort of will to not run after her. He mentally berated himself for his worrywart nature, which had gotten even worse since Enishi's Jinchuu. In the first few months after their return he wouldn't even let her go to teach at other dojos by herself without escort. It hadn't taken her long to put him in his place about that, especially after their marriage. Things had improved since then, but at times he still felt unstable, wavering between the rurouni's reason and Battousai's fierce and violent urge to protect his beloved. He was secretly beginning to wonder if his breakdown at Rakuninmura wasn't the beginning of something more. It was a terrifying thought; he feared insanity more than any enemy he had ever faced. // I am far too dangerous a man to be given such free reign. If I ever completely lost control over the hitokiri within me... // He shuddered. He suddenly wished Kaoru were beside him; her smile and warm, honest laughter was always effective in freeing him from his own morbid company.  
  
It wasn't until he was in sight of the gate that he sensed something odd. He looked up and saw that the dojo's door was slightly ajar. Slowing his pace, he moved forward on silent feet, senses alert for slightest noise, his mental struggle firmly silenced.  
  
He hesitated at the door, sensing an unfamiliar ki inside. Or...was it unfamiliar? Kenshin frowned and concentrated. He had been resting the several months since their return from Enishi's island, avoiding his sword and allowing his many wounds, both physical and mental, to heal. // I hope I'm not getting rusty in my skills already. I'm probably just overreacting... // Kenshin centered himself and cast his senses inside. Yes, there he was, only a few feet inside the door. The other's ki was strangely familiar, though Kenshin couldn't recall from where. For a moment he debated on whether he should sneak in the back way and surprise the stranger. He doubted that would really help though, and besides he had no proof this person was hostile. //Even so...didn't we leave the gate locked? No wait...Sano left after us, to go gambling he said. He must have left the gate unlocked. Honestly, I'll really have to have a word with him later. // Deciding not to waste any more time, he pushed his way through the door.  
  
The afternoon sun cast deep shadows across the dojo's courtyard, giving a strangely menacing appearance to the man standing almost casually inside the dojo grounds. He was a little taller than Kenshin, with a lanky build that was largely hidden under a loose black yukata. He glanced over his shoulder as Kenshin entered, regarding the swordsman with mild interest.  
  
Kenshin stared at the other's face in amazement, recognition dawning on him. This was the last person he had *ever* expected to see. "Yanagi-dono..."  
  
TBC...  
  
A/N: This is sort of a sequel to "An Inn in Hokkaido" and I decided to bring back the character of Yanagi from my earlier fic. How did he find Kenshin, and why's he at the dojo? Bwahaha, I'm about to turn poor Kenshin's life inside out...  
This chapter was mostly setup, sorry not much happened, though I'm pretty fond of the clothing scene ^_^ In keeping with my previous fic I'm breaking from manga cannon and allowing both Sano and Megumi to still be in Tokyo. Megumi will probably pop up later, and I really like Sano, I just can't let him run off to Mongolia quite yet. Gomen, Ranma-chan! *beta-reader and manga purist sighs and shakes her head, but decides to humor her crazy friend*  
  
Glossary:  
Gi: short men's kimono, worn with hakama pants  
Anata: literally "you", means "honey" or "dear" when used between a husband and wife.  
De gozaru: Kenshin's outdated polite phrase, I figure that by now he would only be using it occasionally with Kaoru, especially since they're married.  
Kami-sama: God  
Nani: what  
Hitokiri: assassin  
Gomen: I'm sorry  
Jasmine: Kaoru's perfume obviously, actually it turns out this was a fanfiction invention (generally credited to Tae-san) and that her perfume is never mentioned in the anime or manga. I like the idea of it though, so I kept it ^_^  
Rurouni: wanderer or vagabond  
Koishii: beloved  
Ronin: masterless, and often homeless, samurai 


	2. chapter 2

Prism  
by Calger459  
Chapter 2  
  
Conventions: *...* is emphasis, //...// is thoughts  
  
Welcome back! Don't remember who Yanagai is? That's okay, I'll remind you...and I guarantee Kenshin won't be forgetting anytime soon. On with the fic!   
  
Disclaimer: don't own RK. Wish I did, but then pigs would also fly. 'nuff said.  
  
~*~  
  
"Yanagi-dono?" Silence followed Kenshin's stunned whisper as he stared at the face of the man before him, a person he had not seen for nearly seven years. He'd left him behind in a small town called Furano, hundreds of miles away on the northern island of Hokkaido. Shimizu Yanagi had been a troubled young man, a natural yet untrained swordsman fighting against a restrictive family. When Kenshin had left the village Yanagi seemed to have finally forged a path for himself, and his future had seemed hopeful. They had parted on fairly decent terms, and Kenshin had honestly not expected to ever see him again. What in the world had led him here to Tokyo?   
  
Yanagi smiled grimly and turned slowly to face Kenshin, his arms tucked casually inside his black kimono. There was a hard set to his eyes that made Kenshin very uncomfortable. He didn't appear to be armed, but Kenshin knew better than to trust that. "Well, I'm glad you remember me Himura-san." He looked Kenshin up and down, raising a surprised eyebrow. "Goodness Himura, you look even more threadbare than the last time I saw you. Still poor as dirt?"  
  
Kenshin tensed at the other man's insulting tone, eyes narrowing in anger. "I would say that it was pleasant to see you again Yanagi-dono, if it weren't for your words. How did you find me, and what do you want?"  
  
The other man gave a short, barking laugh devoid of humor. "I see you still wear your politeness as a façade, to be discarded in an instant. Come now, aren't you going to at least invite me in properly?"  
  
"You let yourself in," Kenshin reminded him coldly. "I'm not obligated to be polite to those who invade my home."  
  
Yanagi shrugged. "Fair enough, I suppose. I must admit, at first you were a bit difficult to track down, but honestly, who *doesn't* know that the Hitokiri Battousai currently lives at the Kamiya dojo in Tokyo and has recently married the master of the school? Such a ridiculous question. But I think what you really meant was for me to tell you *why* I'm here."  
  
"And that reason would be?" Kenshin slowly placed the bundle of cloth on the ground and advanced purposefully towards Yanagi, eyes hard chips of ice. "It's obvious your intentions aren't friendly, so state your business quickly."   
  
Yanagi regarded the tiny swordsman before him. "You haven't mellowed out at all, have you? I suppose if you had your many enemies wouldn't have pursued you with such enthusiasm. I don't suppose you remember a certain hitokiri named Jine?"  
  
Kenshin felt his mouth curl into a snarl and he cursed the fact that he'd left his sakabatou in his room this morning. It had been for Kaoru's sake mostly, she didn't really like him going around armed and after all, he'd placed his past behind him; he should have no need for a sword now. //I grow more foolish by the day, it seems... // "If you're an associate of his, then I think you should leave. Now."  
  
Yanagi held up a hand and Kenshin found himself stopping at the unspoken command, though he wasn't sure why. "Oh I'll leave, but not until I've explained myself to you. Actually, I think you would be quite proud of the abilities I've developed since we parted. Tell me, if you remember, what Jine's true strength as a swordsman was?"  
  
Kenshin's senses screamed at him not to listen, that he was in terrible danger, but he couldn't seem now to make his feet move; his eyes were locked with Yanagi's and he found himself feeling strangely calm. //What the hell? Is he somehow holding me here? // Gritting his teeth, fighting against whatever control the other man had exerted on him, he hissed, "I have no time for games!"  
  
Yanagi rolled his eyes. "So impatient. You don't want to play or have a nice chat? Fine. Ki. That was his true power, the Shino no Ippo. I ran into him a couple years ago during my studies and got him to show me a few pointers. His technique was instrumental in developing mine, though really I can do a lot more now than just paralyze someone."  
  
//Of course, no wonder I can't move. // Kenshin concentrated on throwing the effect of the mind control off, just as he had with Jine, but to his dismay he found himself still trapped. //Can it be his spirit is stronger than mine? I don't believe that...but he really had grown strong since I knew him before. // "Release me Yanagi, I have done nothing to you!"  
  
The other man nodded; he noted the lack of honorific on his name now, but chose to ignore it. "True, you haven't. In fact, I really should thank you for that little shove in the butt you gave me all those years ago. Of course, it turned out my physical skills with the sword were really quite abysmal; it was my skill with ki that set me apart, and I couldn't find that kind of training in Hokkaido. So I set out to do my own wandering, and it led me finally back to you. I've developed the ultimate technique in ki manipulation, and I couldn't think of anyone better to try it out on. You really should be honored, Himura-san, that I thought of you after all this time. This should be an interesting learning experience for the both of us." Slowly he walked forward until he was just inches from Kenshin. "Please understand that it's nothing personal; it was a matter of logistics. One should always work with the best raw materials. And really, you have such a curious nature...one minute a buffoon doing laundry, the next a brilliant swordsman. Such a fascinating dichotomy."   
  
"Wha-" Kenshin began, but was cut off by strong fingers suddenly pressed to his temples. There was powerful flare in Yanagai's ki, and to Kenshin's trained sight the brilliance of the flare in his mind's eye was almost blinding, as was the splitting headache that immediately followed it.  
  
Kenshin screamed and fell to his knees as his head seemed to literally explode. Senses thrown into chaos, he couldn't even tell which way was up. //What on earth has he done to me? // Kenshin felt incredibly strange as the pain increased. It seemed like his body was pulling apart, his mind separating. Kenshin's screams died off as he fell over trembling, hands spread over his skull in a vice-like grip.  
  
Memories started flashing across his mind with incredible force. Unable to control his own thoughts, Kenshin could only stare helplessly at the images before him.  
  
*A slash of a sword, the wet sound of metal tearing through flesh. Horror and disbelief beyond imagining. "TOMOE!"*  
  
*Grief as he crouched in the darkness of a quiet mountain cabin, the body before him strangely beautiful in death. Empathy and heartache, understanding and sympathy for the victims of his actions: emotions so long buried in his soul he felt as if he were feeling them for the first time. The hand clasped to his scarred cheek was trembling. *  
  
*A small boy ran after his mother with a seed basket, helping her plant rice in the wet field. She smiled at him warmly, his cheer helping to ease the exhaustion in her body. A peasant's life was hard, but it was all she had ever known. "Thank you for your help, my little Shinta." *  
  
*A young woman ran before him in the rain laughing, pulling him under the building's overhang. "Mou! Darn rain! And this was a new kimono, too."  
  
He placed a strong hand over hers, pushing it gently out of the rainfall, the intimate touch warming both their lonely hearts. "Careful, or you'll get it wet." *  
  
* "You make the bloody rain fall." *  
  
* "But you were able to go back to normal soon afterwards; in the end Kenshin is still Kenshin! A wander who doesn't kill. You're not a hitokiri any more!" *  
  
*Aishiteru, my Kaoru."*  
  
* "She is meeting with her conspirators up on the mountain. Go and kill her." *  
  
//What's happening? HELP ME! //  
  
Yanagi cast a satisfied glance at the shaking body on the ground, which was now starting to develop a faint bluish glow, and silently left the dojo, congratulating himself on a job well done. Tomorrow he would come back to see the results of his work.  
  
If he returned quickly, Akari wouldn't even know he'd been gone.  
  
~*~  
  
"Goodnight Tae-san, and thank you again for the fish!"  
  
The restaurant owner winked at her. "It was my pleasure Kaoru-san, it's a very special night after all. Say hello to Kenshin-san for me!"  
  
"I will!" Kaoru turned and gestured for Yahiko to follow her. "We'd better hurry so Kenshin can get this cooked. I hope he remembered to start boiling the water when he got home."  
  
Yahiko rolled his eyes. "Kaoru, it's *Kenshin*, he's got this whole cooking thing down to an art. I don't think he'd forget something like that." The fact that Kaoru was something of a control freak when it came to food (especially since she was incapable of making it edible) was common knowledge among the Kenshin-gumi.  
  
"Oi, Jou-chan! What's new?" Sano's friendly greeting boomed across the street and Kaoru suppressed a groan, casting at the glance at the fish in her basket; it suddenly seemed pitifully small. A part of her was always happy to see her boisterous friend, but the other half always ground her teeth in annoyance at his freeloading habits. He was so predictable.  
  
"Let me guess Rooster-head, you're gonna mooch off Kenshin's cooking again!" The cocky eleven-year-old samurai generally wasn't one for subtlety.  
  
Sano strode over and gave the young swordsman a not-so-gentle swat on the head. "Watch it brat, it just so happens I had a good dice game today, so I can actually pay you guys back for once."  
  
Kaoru smiled. "Good, because there isn't enough fish here for you; I'll have to ask Kenshin to make up something extra. Let's hurry back so I can help him out."  
  
Sano mentally cringed. "You *are* going to let *him* cook the fish, right?"  
  
Kaoru cast him her patented Glare of Death.  
  
"Uh...never mind, forget I asked."  
  
"Wise answer."  
  
~*~  
  
"A new gi, huh? For real?" Sano grinned at the tiny woman next to him. "I'm impressed Jou-chan, that's no small feat. I'm kinda looking forward to seeing it."  
  
Yahiko smiled. "As long as it's not pink, that's all that matters to me!"  
  
The dojo gates came into sight and Kaoru sighed gently, glad to finally be home. She was startled when her walk was stopped by Sano's hand on her shoulder. "Hold on a minute Kaoru, something's odd. It's really quiet in there."  
  
Kaoru frowned and glanced at the gate, which was slightly ajar. Aside from that, everything seemed normal to her. The fact that Sano had actually called her by her name for once was not lost on her; he must be genuinely concerned that something was wrong. Swallowing around the nervous lump that had formed in her throat she replied, "Kenshin's always quiet. I'm sure everything's fine. Kenshin, we're home!" Kaoru stepped through the gate and almost tripped over a bundle lying on the ground. Muffling a curse, she started to shove it aside with her foot before realizing it was the package containing the two gi. //Why on earth would he leave this out here? // "Kenshin, are you here?" She hadn't quite registered the deathly silence of her two companions. As she straightened up she caught a glance of Sano. She froze at the look on his face. "Sanosuke, what is it?"  
  
"K-kuso..." he whispered. It was rare to see Sagara Sanosuke without his gruff, confident exterior. His usual expression had been replaced by a tangled mixture of shock, alarm and even a little fear. It was unnerving, to say the least. Kaoru slowly followed his gaze, and she gasped at the sight before her.  
  
"KENSHIN!"  
  
Kenshin lay sprawled on the ground in the dirt just inside the dojo gates, unconscious, but he wasn't alone. There were two others lying beside him: a small red-haired boy, and a flame-haired teenager.   
  
TBC...  
  
A/N: Oh yes, Yanagi's developed into a twisted individual indeed, but then he was like that in my last fic too. So what exactly has he done to Kenshin? I told you this fic was going to be weird in premise, but hopefully I came up with a suitable explanation. Remember, this is the same universe where swordsmen paralyze people's lungs with a glance and forty-foot giants walk around with house-sized swords without anyone thinking anything of it...  
  
Glossary:  
Name order: Japanese order for this fic, last name first first name last. It just sounds more natural to me.  
Ki: this is part of Asian spiritual belief, which essentially says that everything living thing has a life spirit (you know, like The Force ;) and in RK swordsmen can use this for offensive capabilities. Kenshin reads ki to predict his opponent's next move, he uses it in the manga to blow up a roof (whoo hoo!) and he can also sense other people through walls with it (cool, huh?) I hinted that Yanagi was very good with ki in my last fic, and I decided to develop that for the purposes of this one. I'm making it all up, but hey this is fanfiction.   
Mou: damn, Kaoru's favorite expletive  
Aishiteru: I love you (romantic love)  
Jou-chan: Sano's pet name for Kaoru, means "little missy"  
Oi: hey   
Kuso: shit, damn, crap; general expletive  
Honorifics: suffixes such as -san, -dono, etc. They denote levels of respect; -dono is used almost exclusively by Kenshin and is slightly less respectful than -san. Dropping the honorific with someone who isn't friend or family is downright rude, which is why Kenshin drops it in his talk with Yanagi. 


	3. chapter 3

Prism  
by Calger459  
Chapter 3  
  
Conventions: *...* is emphasis, //...// is thoughts  
  
Thank you for the reviews! You guys are great ^_^ Yes I know, split ki, where do I get this stuff from?   
Jason M. Lee: Is seven years was enough time for Yanagi to have gotten that good with ki? Well, Kenshin learned Hiten in about six years, and that's a pretty damn impressive sword school, so why not? Having natural talent makes things a lot easier too (I'm an artist, so I know). When you can skip the basics and go on to the advanced stuff you become proficient pretty quickly. As for Yanagi trying this on Hiko LOL that would be interesting! I don't feel very comfortable writing his character yet, but if someone else wants to try I'm all for it ;) I conferred with my beta reader, who has actually taken Japanese classes, and her explanation is that "-dono" as it is used in anime indicates that you're serving someone else. Kenshin serves Kaoru and Megumi by protecting them so he uses "-dono" to address them (servers in restaurants in other anime will use "-dono" when addressing their customers). Yamagata, on the other hand, is no longer Kenshin's employer, which Kenshin makes clear through the use of that honorific. So essentially, "-dono" and "-san" denote equal levels of respect, but their usage is on a case-by-case basis. Anyone else have an opinion on this one?   
Fanny M: As for providing a summary of An Inn in Hokkaido...it's kinda of a long fic to sum up in a paragraph, it really would be better if everyone just went ahead and read it. There'll be more backstory on Yanagi and Akari later anyway, as well as references to my previous fic, so don't worry about being left in the dark guys ;) All right, enough babbling! Things get fun in this installment...  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own RK, never will blah blah...  
  
~*~  
  
The three members of the Kenshin-gumi looked on in stricken silence. It was Yahiko who finally spoke. "W-what the hell is going on here? Kaoru?"  
  
Kaoru shook her head silently and walked slowly forward to the Kenshin she immediately recognized, still dressed in his old navy gi. Strangely, the other two matched his clothing (right down to the weathered state of their blue gi), but were of different ages. One was clearly a little boy, maybe eight years old, the other a teenaged version of Kenshin, with his hair tied up in a high ponytail. "Kenshin?" she whispered, kneeling down beside her husband and gently shaking his shoulder. "Kenshin, wake up!"  
  
The rurouni groaned softly and gradually loosened the death grip he had on his own head. Looking up he slowly focused on the face of his wife, her features pale and tight with concern. // I'm alive...did I pass out? I don't remember...falling down. My head still hurts, but something's...odd. // Slowly his brain registered that Kaoru was actually waiting for some kind of response, and from the growing panic in her eyes he must have been lying there in confused silence for some time. Carefully clearing his throat, he murmured "Kaoru?"  
  
"Kenshin," she whispered, relieved that he has answered her but still filled with worry. "What happened?"  
  
"I...it was..." he frowned, puzzled by his lack of memory. He'd come home, he remembered that, and there had been someone in the dojo...Kenshin struggled to put a name with the face in his memory. Details of their conversation floated just beneath the surface of his recollection, but every time he tried to remember they eluded him, like the last vestiges of a dream. For someone like him, who'd always been blessed with a near-perfect photographic memory, this was deeply disturbing. Even worse than that though was the strange *empty* feeling that he had, as if part of him had gone missing. "I can't remember, someone was here when I returned, and he did something to me." He placed a hand to his still slightly aching head and looked up at Kaoru. "I think I'm all right, though something seems a little strange."  
  
"Oh...really?" Kaoru asked nervously, eyeing Sano out of the corner of her eye. He was leaning over the teenaged Kenshin, peering curiously into his face.  
  
Momentarily oblivious to the husband-and-wife drama playing out nearby, Sano found himself rather intrigued by this other Kenshin. He was just a kid, maybe fifteen or sixteen, with softer features and a less bushy spill of red bangs over his eyes. There was no scar on this Kenshin's cheek and he seemed to be peacefully asleep, his head pillowed on one arm. Slowly, Sano reached out and touched the young Kenshin's shoulder, giving him a gentle shake. He realized his mistake an instant later when the boy drew in a sharp breath, snapped open hard amber eyes and leapt at him with a snarl.  
  
Kaoru was on her feet immediately. "Sanosuke!"  
  
Somewhere in the next few seconds Sano remembered the fierce scowl Kenshin had attempted to make that morning. Then, the rurouni hadn't actually been angry so the expression had seemed rather funny and misplaced on his normally gentle features. Now, however, was completely different. The menacing, feral scowl on Kenshin's face was anything but amusing; in fact it was downright frightening. Frozen with terror, less than a heartbeat seemed to pass before Sano found himself slammed back against the gate, carried there by the almost inhuman speed and strength he had seen Kenshin use so many times on his enemies. Fierce golden eyes bored into his own and he instinctively tried to wriggle out of the boy's grasp but Kenshin's thin arms were as strong as steel and in the next instant strong fingers were pressed tightly against the base of his throat, threatening to crush his windpipe if he continued to resist. Sano took the hint and stilled, willing his heart to stop hammering against his ribcage long enough for him to think. Fear was not an emotion he experienced often, but he was certainly feeling it now looking into young assassin's eyes, which contained no remorse or hesitation in their depths. //Kami, he doesn't recognize me; if I move he'll kill me. He really will. Oh *shit!* //   
  
They stood that way for a tense few seconds, gazes locked. Then, to Sano's amazement, the boy's eyes softened and widened with surprise. He stepped back abruptly, releasing his hold on the former streetfighter. "Sano?" Sano blinked at the softness of the boy's voice, which was unmistakably Kenshin's. His golden eyes were now very round and wide, and full of recognition, which they hadn't been before. Sano found himself breathing a sigh of relief. "What...what's going on?" The boy seemed suddenly very confused, and as he turned slowly to scan the rest of the area, his gaze came to rest on a stunned Yahiko, Kaoru, and... "Rurouni." He whispered.  
  
"Battousai." Kaoru heard the barely audible answer beside her and turned to look at Kenshin, who was on his feet now, violet eyes as big as teacups. She looked between the two versions of Kenshin in growing amazement. //They're *both* Kenshin?! //  
  
~*~  
  
Chaotic thoughts and memories settled into inky blackness and the part of Kenshin that was the Hitokiri Battousai settled gratefully back into sleep. In the darkness however, he sensed that something had changed. There was hollowness in his spirit now, as if something has gone missing. It made him restless and tense. The hole he now felt had always contained a steady and comforting presence, calming his feelings and allowing him to exist in almost a half-aware state...most of the time anyway. //Something is very wrong. // The nagging thought pushed him further towards wakefulness, and though he would much rather have stayed in the calming quiet of sleep, he could sense that there were things in the outside world that needed his attention. //Baka rurouni, this probably has something to do with him...//   
  
It was then that something, or rather someone, touched him on the shoulder. His response was instantaneous, borne of long years of sword training and later of fighting daily for his very life. Killing instinct flared in his mind and shattered the peace of sleep. Almost without thought he was on his feet and lunging for his attacker. In the next instant he realized he was unarmed; the familiar weight of a sword at his hip was absent and he usually didn't keep other weapons concealed on him. //It will have to be bare hands, then. Fortunately, he's not struggling much. // Still operating mostly on instinct, teeth bared in a fearsome snarl, Battousai slammed his enemy into a nearby wall, one hand pressed to the fool's windpipe, the other pinning one arm to the wood beneath it. He prey froze beneath his intense gaze and as the world slowly came back into focus Kenshin took the time to study his attacker's face.  
  
//OH! // Recognition and alarm caused him to leap backwards from his "attacker", whom he now clearly recognized. "Sano?" // I attacked my friend? Why? Shouldn't I have realized it was him? // Stammering in confusion the young Kenshin, unable to figure out *why* he felt so strange and on edge, pivoted around, recognizing the other faces around him, including... "Rurouni."  
  
Now everything made sense. Standing only a few feet away was a very familiar figure, one that he had seen many times in pond reflections, mirrors and the occasional dream. Only this was no illusion; the man in front him was flesh and blood, just as he was. The wide violet eyes that met his held the same realization within them. "Battousai," he heard the other whisper. How in the world could they be standing apart and separate like this? It certainly explained the emptiness he was feeling but that's as far as his understanding went. The two Himuras stared at one another for a moment, both trying to read each other's thoughts. Through some unspoken agreement Battousai moved first, walking carefully over to the poleaxed-looking rurouni, who stood stock-still as the younger Kenshin reached out to touch his face.  
  
"You're real," he murmured, aware of the stares of the other three people in the courtyard. "This is no dream, is it?"  
  
The rurouni slowly shook his head. "No, it isn't. But it also isn't possible...you realize that."  
  
Battousai frowned and lowered his hand. "Apparently it is possible, because if this is another dream it certainly feels real enough."   
  
Behind the pair Yahiko and Sano exchanged bewildered glances. Sano coughed carefully. At the sound, Battousai turned and stared back at his friend. The confused expression on the teenage Kenshin's face was gone, replaced by a flat, emotionless mask. He regarded Sano carefully for a moment, and then to everyone's surprise he dipped his head and upper torso in a respectful bow. "Forgive me, Sanosuke, for attacking a friend. I was startled awake."   
  
Sano, surprised by the apology, mentally tacked on Kenshin's implied "fortunately for you, I wasn't armed." //Hint taken. // "Uh...yeah, well I probably shouldn't have tried to wake you like that...Kenshin, right?"  
  
Battousai straightened back up, surprise flickering briefly through his flat, golden gaze. "Of course, would I be called something else?"  
  
"Battousai-san? Why can I see you?" A tiny voice attracted everyone's attention to a figure who'd been completely forgotten in the last several moments: the child Kenshin, who was now awake and sitting upright in the dust of the dojo's courtyard. Kaoru marveled at his resemblance to her Kenshin; aside from having a darker shade of red hair and much larger eyes, he could have been a miniature rurouni. Kaoru supposed it only emphasized her husband's youthfulness even more; at age twenty-nine, her Kenshin didn't look a day over twenty. Even then, mostly because of his height, foreigners still often mistook him for a young boy.  
  
While the child confused the Kenshin-gumi, the two older versions of Kenshin seemed completely unsurprised by his presence. The rurouni walked over to the tiny boy and offered his hand. "I'm not sure I have an answer to that Shinta-kun, I think that's something we'll have to figure out together."  
  
"Together?" Now the boy looked incredulous, his features drawn into a tiny frown. "But you do nothing but argue!"  
  
"We do not," Battousai muttered, though his expression belied that statement.  
  
Sano and Yahiko looked helplessly to Kaoru, the sheer *weirdness* of the situation finally getting to them. Noting their pleading looks, Kaoru swallowed her own panic and approached three redheads. "Um, pardon me Kenshin, but could we possibly take this inside? I think we all need to sit down for a bit."  
  
At the sound of his name, both the older Kenshin's heads swiveled around to stare at her at the same time. She watched as they exchanged glances, and she could have sworn that they were somehow communicating with each other without words. //Kami-sama this is getting bizarre... // "Of course, Kaoru," the rurouni said at last, "that sounds like a good idea. Why don't you make some tea?"  
  
Tea? The idea of doing such a normal thing made her head spin, and it was then that she remembered the fish lying forgotten by the dojo gate. //No use, it's probably spoiled now. Oh Kenshin... // "All right," she said weakly, turning to go to the kitchen.  
  
The rest of the Kenshin-gumi silently followed.  
  
~*~  
  
Throughout his twenty years of life, Sagara Sanosuke had seen some pretty odd things, and privately he'd always kept a mental list of interesting things he'd seen or done. The past year had been a good one for the list. For a while, it had been topped by seeing Sagara taichou's ghost in the woods on the way to Kyoto. After that, Shishio was by far the strangest (and also one of the most horrible) things he'd ever laid eyes on. But this...the sight of not one but *three* Kenshins sitting almost casually across from him at the dinner table more than made the top of the list. It redefined it. //Yeah, I'd say this was about a 15 on my Weird Shit scale... //  
  
Very awkward silence followed Kaoru's bringing tea for the table and had reigned now for nearly fifteen minutes. The three Kenshins sat in a neat row, with the rurouni in the middle. Kaoru sat directly across from him, with Yahiko and Sano on either side of her. The gentle chirping of crickets and the sipping of tea were the only sounds in the room, and it was starting to drive Sano up the wall. He had somehow gotten stuck sitting across from Battousai, who mercifully (for Sano anyway) had kept his creepy eyes shut for most of the time. His young face was pensive, his stiff posture and general air very much reminiscent of Kenshin when he was lost in brooding. Next to him the rurouni seemed positively friendly, despite the disturbed expression in his dark violet eyes. Sano looked to him expectantly but couldn't meet Kenshin's gaze. The rurouni was staring into his tea, as if it would magically divine some solution to his dilemma. Sano let his attention wander to the smallest of the trio, the little boy who called himself Shinta. He was slurping his tea loudly in a very boyish fashion, and he kept actively staring around him in wonder, as if he were seeing this room for the first time. Ironically-or perhaps not so-it was Shinta who broke the silence.  
  
"Wow, everything looks so big now!" He looked down at his tiny hands. "The cup's big too...it's kind of neat to be this small again, very odd though." Everyone was staring at him blankly, each expression different yet equally unreadable. Shinta cocked his head and studied Yahiko across from him. "I wonder how we got like this. Hey, Yahiko maybe that means we can play games now! Ayame-chan brought that new big ball over yesterday, do you want to play later?"  
  
Yahiko uttered a strangled squeak and looked frantically to the rurouni for an explanation. The rurouni seemed mildly confused. "New ball? Oh right, the one she wanted to play with but we...uh, I was doing laundry."  
  
Shinta bobbed his head, causing his messy red hair to flop all over his head. "Yeah, so now while you do laundry I can play! Games are so much more fun than laundry anyway!" Shinta giggled happily and slurped more tea.  
  
Kaoru's voice was very small. "You seem...very happy, Shinta-kun."  
  
Shinta looked over at her, his eyes suddenly serious. "Well I don't have to worry about all that killing stuff now for once, it's all gone!" He threw his hands up in the air, a delighted grin on his face. "All gone, all gone! It's soooo nice not to be sad all the time! It makes it much easier to play. Ne, Battousai-san?"  
  
The rurouni looked like he was going to pass out. Battousai just grunted into his tea.  
  
"Um..." Yahiko said slowly, "Shinta, why are you called that? Shouldn't you be Kenshin too?"  
  
The boy shrugged. "No, 'cause that's what Mama named me. Shishou changed our name to Kenshin after he rescued me, so they-" he indicated the other two with a wave of his hand "-are Kenshin and I'm Shinta. It's really very simple."  
  
Feeling slightly sick, yet oddly fascinated by the information, all Yahiko could manage was a faint "Oh."  
  
"K-Kenshin." Kaoru cursed herself for stuttering, but she could feel icy panic creeping up her spine and it was making it very hard to speak. "Please, what happened while I was gone. *How* can you be like...well like *this*?"  
  
Everyone's attention turned to the rurouni, who seemed to have regained his composure somewhat. "I don't know," he said finally. "Whatever was done seems to have muddled my memory a bit, I can remember the face of the man who did this but little else. I remember him mentioning ki and that he could manipulate it, then he touched me-" here he indicated his temple, "-and then Kaoru woke me up. I wish I knew more than that."  
  
"Three bodies," Kaoru murmured, "I just don't understand how that could be. Does it have something to do with your ki?"  
  
Kenshin nodded. "Probably, though when Shishou taught me how to read ki he didn't mention anything like this. He always hinted that everyone had a light and a dark side to them, but why Shinta is here as well I don't know."  
  
"Maybe he's your inner child," Sano muttered darkly.  
  
There was a sharp *bang* as Battousai's teacup was set down hard onto the table, and Sano found himself looking yet again into those flat eyes, which now carried a hostile gleam. "That's enough, Sanosuke. Shinta-kun has nothing to do with this, it's Yanagi we should be concerned with." He suddenly blinked and looked sharply over at the rurouni. "I just said it, didn't I?"  
  
"Yes," Kenshin realized slowly. "Yanagi-dono...of course."  
  
"Yanagi?" Kaoru sat up straighter. The name was familiar. "Isn't he that..."  
  
"Guy you met in Hokkaido," Yahiko finished for her. "The one you worked with and saved from the fire and all that. *He* was here?"  
  
The rurouni nodded, relieved that things were becoming a little clearer. "Yes, yes, that was him! He's somewhere here in Tokyo, he must be."  
  
Sano slapped the table. "Good! That's easy enough, we'll just go find the little slimeball and have him put you back together."  
  
"Don't be stupid," Battousai snapped, "He's probably thought of that already. Yanagi was many things, but he was never an idiot."  
  
Everyone stared at the flame-haired teenager, shocked to hear such rudeness coming from Kenshin. Apparently Kenshin's politeness really did lie with the rurouni. Sano was scowling at Battousai, his dislike of the boy obvious. //Arrogant little jerk, no wonder Kenshin keeps him hidden away. //  
  
"Maa, maa," Kenshin said gently, "that may be the case but we should seek him out anyway. He only wanted to test his technique, surely it won't be that hard to convince him to restore us."  
  
Battousai slowly turned to glare at the rurouni, his fist clenched tight on the table. "Did you forget," he hissed furiously, "that it's *your* fault this happened? If you'd just come in the back way like I said to we could have scared him off and prevented this! *Or* if you hadn't been such a naïve idiot he wouldn't have gotten close enough to use his damn technique in the first place! Stupid rurouni, how could you have gotten so careless!"  
  
"Kenshin!" Kaoru gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Battousai had been so stoic for most of the conversation, she'd almost forgotten the ferocity he'd displayed while attacking Sanosuke. That same fire gleamed in his cold eyes now, the venom in his words so unlike the Kenshin they were familiar with. Even the brief glimpse of Battousai they'd seen during his fight with Saitou hadn't been like this, so angry and insulting.  
  
What was worse was the way the rurouni cringed away from his younger self, his cruel words apparently hitting home. "But I just thought-"  
  
"Yeah, that's the problem!" Battousai seethed, leaning even closer to the rurouni. "Thinking without actually thinking, trusting that Yanagi wasn't really hostile after all, that everything would be just fine! Now look at us! Ahou!"  
  
Shinta's eyes were huge as he stared at the pair, his tiny face panicked. "Battousai-san, please stop! I told you all you do is fight, and it never ever helps! Leave Rurouni-san alone!"  
  
Battousai shot to his feet, eyes blazing with barely controlled rage. "Shut up, Shinta! Neither of you ever listen to me, and this is what happens! I'm going outside," he announced, stomping loudly (and Kaoru realized, very childishly) to the door and sliding it open. Throwing a venomous glance over his shoulder at the rurouni, he barked "And don't follow me!" Slamming the shoji shut they could hear him walking away down the porch.  
  
//Damn, is this what really goes on in Kenshin's head? // Replaying the argument Sano found the interaction among the three Kenshins far more disturbing than the near-death experience he's had earlier with Battousai. The rurouni looked just as alarmed, staring at the closed door with a blank, uncertain look on his face. After a moment's silence he started to get to his feet but was stopped by Shinta pulling down on his sleeves. "No, don't. He's really upset this time, can't you tell? Just leave him be, he isn't going anywhere." The rurouni looked doubtful. "Please," Shinta pleaded. "I'm really tired now, can't we just go to sleep? He'll be better by morning."  
  
Kenshin sighed gently. "All right, Shinta-kun. I'm so sorry everyone," he apologized, turning to the others. "For him for...everything."  
  
"Kenshin," Sano said quietly, "we're here for you no matter what, okay? We'll figure this out tomorrow. Is it okay with you if I bed down here tonight?"  
  
"He can stay with me," Yahiko volunteered. He wouldn't admit it for the world, but having Battousai wandering loose around the dojo scared him. He would feel safer having Sano nearby.  
  
Kenshin nodded, suddenly looking exhausted beyond words. Rising from her place, Kaoru took his hand and kissed him tenderly on the cheek. "It'll be okay, Kenshin. Take Shinta-kun and go to bed, I'll be there in a minute."  
  
The oddly assorted family left the room one by one, leaving Kaoru standing alone, lost in thought. Looking towards the direction the angry Battousai had gone, she made a decision. Walking to the door she slid it open and stepped out in pursuit of her husband's darker half.  
  
TBC...  
  
  
A/N: I'm sooo mean to Kenshin -_-;; If you're still with me with this weird idea of a fic, the next chapter should be interesting indeed ;) What will Kaoru do when she finds Battousai, how will the three Kenshins (oro!) adapt to this little change in perspective, and where did Yanagi go anyway? Stay tuned for more!  
A/N #2: Okay, so I actually wrote out a little character guide for each version of Kenshin that I'm using to help write them (maybe I'll put it up at the very end for you guys to see), but in short Battousai is a rather rash and immature version of Kenshin. He's usually pretty emotionless but under that he has quite a temper, and he's the part of Kenshin that berates himself all the time. I envisioned the rurouni as being much more mature and reasonable (though a bit of a pushover at times), and tried to play him that way against Battousai in this chapter. As for Shinta, I think Sano hit the nail on the head. Ayame and Suzame may not exist in the manga, but Battousai does play with children during the Revenge arc, so I think his sense of fun and play was always around, even while he was a hitokiri. Thoughts, arguments, observations? Let's hear 'em! Reviews make Calger-san a happy happy girl ^_^  
  
Glossary:  
-kun: another honorific, often used for young boys or friends, more respectful than -chan  
ne: right  
shishou: master (here referring to Hiko ^_^)  
taichou: captain, if you don't remember who he is go read the Tokyo arc ;)  
baka: idiot, fool, etc. (all-purpose insult)  
ahou: also means idiot, but is a lot more insulting...  
shoji: sliding rice paper doors in Japanese homes  
maa, maa: "now, now..." a placating phrase 


	4. chapter 4

Prism  
by Calger459  
Chapter 4  
  
Conventions: *...* is emphasis, //...// is thoughts  
  
Ooooh so many reviews *gets starry-eyed* Thank you minna-san! I'm glad you all are having as much fun reading this as I am writing it ^_^ Sorry for the slight delay, but the Battousai/Kaoru conversation turned out to be a lot more challenging to write than I thought, I had to run it through my beta-reader twice! The first version got passed back to me with the comments "it's good, but it feels like a water cooler conversation, elaborate a bit" so I had to go at it again -_-;; I'm pretty happy with it now, though. On with the show!  
  
Disclaimer: *whines* aw c'mon Sony and MediaBlasters, you know I don't own RK, so why do I have to say it every time! Honestly if I were that cool I'd be rich (is Watsuki-sensei rich? I hope he is...) and not applying for more education to get a job I like better than the one I have...  
  
~*~  
  
Kaoru stepped out into the cool night air. It had been a cold spring this year so far, with misty dawns and frigid nights that were all too reminiscent of winter's snows. The previous year she'd set out before dawn in weather like this, determined to find the killer claiming to be Battousai, unaware that in the process she would also meet the love of her life. This evening would have been the first anniversary of Kenshin arriving in Tokyo, and it was for this occasion that Tae had donated the fish. //It would have been such a wonderful dinner too...// Hugging herself for warmth she slowly circled the porch, scanning the grounds for any sign of Battousai. A small part of her wanted to be very angry that her perfectly planned evening had been ruined by this little mishap, but that wouldn't be fair to Kenshin. He certainly hadn't been responsible for what happened and besides, what was done was done. //Of anyone, Kenshin has the most right to be upset. All we can do now is work together to solve this; I have a feeling that it's going to take all three of him. Hmm, I wonder where he went? Surely he didn't leave the dojo... // She seriously doubted that the teenager would go wandering off, even in his current state of upset. Kenshin attached a great sense of security and safety to their home, so most likely he was still nearby. She supposed she should be afraid of seeking out a dangerous young hitokiri, but her quarry also happened to be her husband-or part of him, anyway. She refused to be afraid of him. //Besides, I don't think he'd really hurt anyone. From his behavior before I'd say that under all the anger he was...scared. //  
  
Making another circuit of the dojo, Kaoru tried to imagine herself in Kenshin's place. What would her two halves be like? She supposed one would be gentle and somewhat feminine, despite an inability to cook. Maybe the other would be a shrieking, bokken-wielding tanuki, with no other desire than to chase Yahiko to the ends of the earth. She giggled at the image. Now *that* would be a sight...  
  
From his vantage point Battousai watched as his wife searched for him. Choosing to ignore her for the moment, he closed his eyes and tried to calm the hot rage that still sang in his blood. He was shocked by the intensity of his feelings, so different from the tranquil state he normally existed in. He searched for the strong self-control that had served him so well during the Bakumatsu, but it eluded him, just as it had ever since the separation from his other selves. Thinking back to the disastrous conversation in the house, Kenshin tried to analyze his own feelings. Throughout most of the conversation he'd still been in too much of a state of shock to do more than sit in stoic silence, allowing the voices of the others to wash pleasantly over him as they always did. But as the minutes went by the gnawing feeling of emptiness in his soul increased to the point where he could no longer ignore it, and he felt his anger spike at the derisive tone in Sano's voice as he'd made some remark about Shinta. That had been the beginning of the end of his tenuous self-control.   
  
Kenshin let his eyes drift open and listened as Kaoru passed for the second time beneath his hiding spot. He should have known she would come to look for him, she was his Kaoru after all, and he knew he would have to answer for his earlier behavior. //What do I tell her? // He still wasn't entirely sure what had caused his angry outburst at the rurouni. All he really knew was that one moment he had been correcting Sano, the next the rurouni had made another of his inane remarks and he had just lost it. //Stress...it must have been the stress of everything that caused my control to slip like that. // And yet, justified as he felt his anger had been (if the rurouni hadn't been such a trusting idiot and had listened to his-no *their* instincts-they could have avoided this completely) it was that same rage that had spawned another emotion he wasn't used to feeling: fear. He knew fear of course, it certainly wasn't an alien emotion, but it wasn't one he generally had any use for. Fear clouded his senses and hampered his judgment. Fear was an enemy as powerful as any swordsman, and potentially lethal. //I hate this, all of this. // Kenshin drew his knees to his chest and hugged his legs, drawing from the pose what little comfort he could. Separated from himself he felt very, very alone. Right now, that was the only thing he was certain of. Until he could be sure of something, *anything* else, he didn't feel comfortable being around the others. More than anything, he just wanted to be left alone.  
  
There was a tiny, almost imperceptible sound from above her and Kaoru paused in midstep, listening hard. She was standing next to the bathhouse and as she let her gaze pan upward she spotted a small figure crouched on the roof the building. It was an overcast night but the clouds were thin and the little moonlight there was reflected in a pair of amber eyes, making them appear to glow slightly in the darkness. It also revealed the hard set of Kenshin's jaw, the only sign of tension in an otherwise impassive face. It was an unnerving image, and Kaoru was reminded uncomfortably of a hunting cat crouched in the shadows, waiting with infinite patience for its prey to come within range. // Of course, the roof. Kenshin likes to hide up there when he wants to be alone. // She was sure he was aware of her presence but he didn't acknowledge it; instead he stared blankly out over the dojo gates. She had no idea what he could possibly be thinking about. //So now that I've found him, what exactly do I say? //  
  
Backing up slowly, she made sure she was in plain view of him before speaking. "Kenshin, what are you doing up there?"  
  
Slowly he dropped his head until he was looking into her eyes. She could see the annoyed gleam in them, obviously irritated that she'd interrupted whatever it was he'd been brooding about. Kaoru scowled back. "Don't look at me like that, Kenshin. Now come down here so we can talk about this."  
  
For a moment he didn't answer. When he did speak, Kaoru was surprised by his gentle tone. "You've been out here for awhile, if you don't go back in the rurouni will come looking for you."  
  
"Let him look," Kaoru said firmly, refusing to be dissuaded. "It's you I'm worried about. Now please come down."  
  
"I'd rather not. If you have something to say, then say it, but I'd prefer if you just left me alone for now, please." Battousai mentally winced at the harshness of his own words. Normally he would never speak to Kaoru in such a manner, but from the moment she'd opened her mouth he'd felt his temper start to flare again, barely within his control. //What on earth is wrong with me? //  
  
"And what if I don't?"  
  
Kaoru made a small squeak of surprise when Battousai suddenly appeared right in front of her, their noses almost touching. //I didn't even see him move! // "Why are you doing this, Kaoru?"  
  
Battousai's narrow-eyed glare, full of warning, was formidable and for a moment Kaoru felt her resolve waver. But her hesitation lasted only an instant before she felt her own temper rise. //How *dare* he look at me like that! // Willing her startled heartbeat to slow down, she met his gaze without fear and not a little anger. "Why do you think? I don't understand what's going on here, especially with you."  
  
"That makes two of us," he snapped coldly, eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. Kaoru suddenly got the distinct impression that he was trying to scare her off with his fearsome front. Surprised and more than a little hurt that he'd try to push her away, she did the only thing she could think of: respond in kind.   
  
"Look, I know this situation must be hard for you, but that does not excuse you being so nasty and rude to the rest of our family, and that includes yourself. The rurouni was not responsible for this! And if you think you can get away with giving *me* a rotten attitude, think again. Now back up a bit, please."  
  
For a moment they stood with gazes locked, and Kaoru could almost feel Battousai judging her, assessing her potential threat with cold eyes. It was a battle Kaoru half expected to lose; after all, this *was* the Hitokiri Battousai she was facing. She was surprised then when the hitokiri complied, stepping back so she could see all of him. His expression was unreadable, but as she continued to stare at him his eyes softened and for a moment he almost looked...apologetic.   
  
"Well?"  
  
"Well what?"  
  
Kaoru sighed in exasperation. "*What* is bothering you so much? I'm not leaving until you tell me. It's not like you to lose your temper, or get into screaming matches with people."  
  
//You're right. It isn't. So why did I? // "I don't really know," he murmured.   
  
Kaoru sensed that he wasn't being entirely truthful, but she didn't miss the note of distress in his voice. "Are you sure?" He shook his head slowly, brows drawn together in a puzzled frown. She waited for him to continue, but he remained silent.  
  
//Stubborn as ever. // "Kenshin, please don't close yourself off to me. I want to help, and if that means understanding how the rurouni and Battousai think-"  
  
"Don't!" The teenager turned sharply away from her, eyes shadowed by thick red bangs. "Don't call me that. I hate that name."  
  
"I'm sorry," she murmured, and she was. Kenshin strongly disliked the nickname he'd earned during the Bakumatsu; she'd known that for a long time now. "But I want you to know that we're here for you to talk to. Besides, tomorrow we *must* figure out what we're going to do, and you need to be involved."  
  
His back was to her now, but she saw him nod. "I understand."  
  
"Kenshin, aren't you going to come inside?"  
  
There was no answer. His stiff, tense posture however spoke volumes: their conversation was at an end. Admitting defeat for the night, Kaoru sighed and stepped back up onto the porch. She was confused and saddened by Battousai's coldness to her. She knew Kenshin loved her; after everything they'd been through together and everything he had ever said or done for her, she couldn't doubt it. Right? She cast a worried glance at Battousai's turned back. Was there still a part of Kenshin that *didn't* love her? //No, that's ridiculous, how could I think such a thing? // And yet the seed of doubt was there, had always been there. It used to be the little seed had been the fear that Kenshin couldn't love her because of Tomoe, but she knew better now. She pondered this new idea. This Kenshin, this hitokiri who seemed so cold and full of anger...was he a part of Kenshin that couldn't love *anyone*? Her Kenshin was such a compassionate and loving man; even knowing what he had been, it was difficult for her to imagine him as unfeeling or uncaring. She swallowed the urge to walk over to Battousai and demand more answers. His stubbornness was legendary, and she could tell that he definitely wasn't in a mood to talk. She would have to wait and hope that he wouldn't be so cold later. She slid the nearest shoji open. "Kaoru."  
  
Surprised to hear him speak, she glanced back at him. "Yes?" She was even more surprised by his answer.   
  
"Thank you."  
  
~*~  
  
The rurouni sat in the darkness watching Shinta sleep. The tiny boy had fallen asleep as soon as he'd lain down on the futon, completely exhausted by the night's events. Kenshin wanted nothing more than to join him, but worry for Kaoru kept him awake. She'd said she'd be there in a moment, but he'd heard her go out onto the porch and it had now been over half an hour. He suspected she'd gone to talk to Battousai, and that was really the only thing that kept him rooted to his futon. Shinta had made him promise he'd leave the teenager be for the night, and he didn't feel like getting into another argument with the willful young hitokiri. He already felt horrible enough for putting his friends through such stress. //Damn that Yanagi. What was the real reason for this, was it something I said or did back in Hokkaido that I don't remember? It *was* a long time ago... // He searched his memory but couldn't remember any reason why Yanagi would have become his enemy. While it was true they had never liked each other, they'd never really had a rivalry like his score with Saitou, or shared in a tragic incident like he and Enishi. //I even saved his life! I just don't understand... // He felt his eyelids growing heavy and it was only reluctantly that he curled up beside Shinta on the futon. //He's so small, just like I used to be...but he *is* me. So, so odd...// It was on that stray thought that Kenshin finally fell asleep.  
  
Scant moments later Kaoru arrived to find the other two halves of her husband cuddled side by side on their futon. //Oh...they're cute! // For a moment she stood in the doorframe and watched them. It was eerie how much they looked like father and son. //A child, I wonder if we'll have one? Maybe a little boy like Shinta. // She smiled blissfully at the thought and quietly changed for bed. Tucking herself in beside the rurouni, with Shinta out of sight, she could almost pretend that things were normal, that the evening's events had never taken place. //I swear to you Kenshin, I will find a way to fix this. No matter what it takes...//  
  
On the roof of the bathhouse Battousai did not sleep, instead choosing to keep watch over the dojo grounds. He reveled in the peaceful quiet of the night, where he could put his thoughts and feelings in order uninterrupted. The clouds parted briefly and he stared up at the moon, his thoughts far away.   
  
~*~  
  
Akari finished arranging their hotel room and stood back to survey her handiwork, absently blowing a stray lock of hair out of her face. She nodded to herself in satisfaction. Their clothes had been put away, the drawers dusted and the floor picked up. She'd woken this morning, their fifth day in Tokyo, to a complete disaster of a room. Yanagi was a hopeless slob and had the irritating habit of tearing apart every single drawer in his search for clothes, leaving a scattered mess behind for his wife to clean. She'd long ago given up on training him to pick up after himself; she had run out of punishments to try and every time she tried to argue she would find herself powerless to reason with him. There were times when she could swear he had some sort of mind control on her...but that was ridiculous. No one could control someone else's thoughts, that was just fantasy. So she picked up after him every day while she waited for him to return. //Hmph, just like a dutiful little Japanese wife should. I can't believe my mother bought into that crap. //  
  
Sighing, she sat down on the tall Western-style bed and glared at the clock. It was nearly six in the evening, the time he usually returned from his business meetings. Akari had to admit to herself that she wasn't entirely what sure what Yanagi did for a living. She knew he had learned passable French and English and that he dealt often with foreign traders, which kept them moving from port to port. Aside from that though, she had no idea. She tapped her foot impatiently for a moment, then picked her foot up to readjust the tight-fitting tabi on her feet. //This is so pathetic, how many days does he expect me to do this? That's it; I'm getting him to take me out somewhere nice. I think I've earned it with all this boredom I've had to endure. // The last several months had been spent in a nice apartment in Osaka's Western quarters (so he could be "closer to the foreigners") and she'd rather enjoyed the seaside city, with all its attractions and variety of people. She wondered if they would be staying for a while in Tokyo, she'd heard so much about the city's theatres and festivals and had actually been excited when Yanagi had told her they were leaving Osaka to visit on business. //Well, one thing's for sure, no matter how many times we move, it sure beats living in Hokkaido. //   
  
There was a light knock on the door and she hurried to answer it. She was surprised by her husband's appearance when she opened the door; he was pale and haggard and was breathing hard, as if he'd been running. "Yanagi, what's wrong with you?"  
  
He shook his head and stumbled past her, throwing the folded black yukata he'd been carrying onto the bed and discarding his Western-style suit in pieces, tossing the sweaty garments messily onto the floor.  
  
Akari mentally counted to ten before kneeling to help him with his shoes. "Anata, I know you don't run for a living. Were you in that much of a hurry to get back here by six? I'm honored if you did."  
  
He sighed heavily. "Akari, I'd love to banter with you but I really don't have the energy for it, so go light on the sarcasm, okay?"  
  
"I gather from that I'm not going to have any explanations. If that's the case the least you could do is pick up your clothes since I just spent *all day* picking up your mess from this morning!" He leveled a glare at her, which she returned in full.  
  
"What the hell's wrong with you?"  
  
"I'm *bored* Yanagi!" she seethed as she helped undo the complicated tie around his neck. "This is the fifth day I've had nothing to do but sit here and play with my socks! You don't leave me any money so I can't go sightsee, and you still haven't taken me out like you said you would before we left Osaka. All that topped by your sloppy clothing habits tends to make me a little edgy, all right?"  
  
He frowned slightly but said nothing, reclining back on the puffy pillows. He looked at her expectantly but she remained standing, her hands on her hips and a stubborn set to her jaw. "Yanagi, I want to go out."  
  
"What, *now*?"  
  
"No, when I'm eighty! What do you think, here I am all dressed-" She lifted her arms and waved the long flower-covered sleeves of her kimono at him-"with nowhere to go! Do you have any notion how depressing that is for a woman?"  
  
Yanagi managed a small smile. The ki technique he'd used on Himura had taken a lot more out of him than he'd thought, and he'd really had to hussle to get changed and back to the hotel in time to keep Akari from noticing anything. //Not that it really worked. I married her for a reason, the clever girl. // "Akari-chan, I'd love to take you out tonight, but I'm *exhausted*. Really, you have no idea the kind of day I've had."  
  
"So tell me then." She came over to sit by his head, leaning over him until he could see nothing but her deep brown eyes. "I really would like to know what it is you do all day while I sit here. Alone."  
  
He sighed irritably. "Damn it, woman, do you ever give that one-track mind a break? I can't do anything about that right now."  
  
"I thought you weren't in a mood to banter," she purred in his ear, at the same time keeping the rest of her body tantalizingly out of reach. "We could always stay in this city, like we did in Osaka. Then I could get out, see the sights a little."  
  
Oh he *so* wanted to use his ki control on her and suppress her will to argue, but he was far too tired. //Besides, // a small voice in his head reasoned, //she does have a point. Several, in fact. She's your wife; you need to keep her happy. You know all the reasons why. // "I can't promise that, but I can give you some money to shop tomorrow, how's that?"  
  
"Will you come with me?" she asked hopefully. He really was very pale and tired-looking, she suspected he wouldn't be much fun even if she did convince him to go out tonight. She would have to settle for another night, though Yanagi was one of the few men she'd known in her life who actually liked shopping with a woman. It would be fun to go with him.  
  
Part of Yanagi wanted to say yes to her offer. He hadn't seen much of her lately, and he knew she was feeling neglected. But he needed to check on Himura tomorrow, and she couldn't be anywhere nearby when he did that. There was the risk of discovery, and also that she would figure out his manipulative little hobby, which she would definitely disapprove of. "I'm sorry, koishii," he murmured, genuinely disappointed. "But I just can't. I have a very important meeting with one of the French companies in the morning."  
  
"For how long? All day? Surely not."  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "The French enjoy their food and wine. Unfortunately meetings with them turn out to be an all-day affair."  
  
She couldn't help but laugh a little at that. "Well, if you enjoy cheese that much I guess I should settle for a compromise. But tomorrow night we are going out. Together. Someplace nice. Understood?"  
  
Yanagi stared into her fierce brown eyes and knew the argument, such as it was, was lost. "Understood. Now, do you really want to stay in that hot kimono, or would you like to help me relax?"  
  
She cuffed him lightly on the head. "Baka, I haven't even eaten dinner yet! Have a little heart!"  
  
Rolling his eyes he got off the bed. "Okay, there's a yakisoba stand on the corner. Will that do for now?"  
  
She sighed dramatically. "Oh I guess so."  
  
Pulling on his yukata and slipping on a pair of sandals, Yanagi left the hotel arm-and-arm with his wife, chatting with her as if nothing were amiss.  
  
As if he hadn't almost casually thrown another man's life-and soul-into absolute chaos.  
  
TBC...  
  
A/N: Actually, I really don't like Yanagi, I think he's a dishonest little turd (and here I created him!) but I like Akari quite a bit for some reason *shrug* Both are from "An Inn in Hokkaido" though neither are based off any specific real-life people. I've really tried to let them flow naturally when I write them and to keep them from turning into meaningless stock characters, I hope I've been somewhat successful in that attempt. Hmm...Battousai's a bit erratic, ne? There is a reason for that, you'll see as the fic progresses ;) Next time: It's the "morning after" (so to speak) for the Kenshin trio. One reviewer mentioned how Kaoru now has three husbands LOL that is so true! However will she manage? ;) A lot of you who reviewed made some nice suggestions and things you hoped to see from a romantic standpoint between Kaoru/rurouni and Kaoru/Battousai...I must warn you all that I'm not very adept at writing romance and this absolutely *will not* become a lemon fic, or even a limey one, not because I'm against it ("Heart's Ease" is one of my favorite fics, though I blush the whole way through -_-;;) but because I just can't write that sort of thing. I will however do my best to develop their relationships in a meaningful way and to make this above all a good fic that you enjoy reading and that I enjoy writing. Fair enough? See you all for part 5!  
  
  
Glossary:  
Bokken: wooden sword  
Tanuki: raccoon, and Kaoru's (not very complimentary) nickname  
Tabi: Japanese split-toed socks, they are *tight* (I own a pair ^_^) 


	5. chapter 5

Prism  
by Calger459  
Chapter 5  
  
Conventions: *...* is emphasis and //...// is thoughts  
  
Disclaimer: Sony, I know you're smart enough to realize that an art teacher from Ohio doesn't own Rurouni Kenshin and isn't looking to make a profit from her silly fics, so *nyah* ;)  
  
Prepare folks, this is a long one, with lots of conversation ^_^ Okay, so I finally watched "Multiplicity" on the recommendation of my beta-reader...and it gave me a few ideas ;) No, this fic won't turn into a comedy or a clone-fest or anything like that, but if a couple of the lighter moments bear a vague resemblance to the movie you'll know why ;) On with the fic!  
  
~*~  
  
The rurouni awoke just before dawn with a small gasp. Breathing deeply he tried to brush away the lingering images of his dreams, which as usual had been vivid and bloody. This night they'd been even worse than usual, the worries and fears of the previous evening following him into sleep; he was relieved to finally be awake.   
  
Shaking off his nightmare the rurouni sat up carefully so as not to disturb the two people who slept on either side of him. Shinta was curled into a snug ball on the futon. Kenshin smiled tenderly and tucked the blankets around him. The child didn't even stir, sleeping deeply the only way young children could, his features trouble-free. Kaoru shifted in her sleep and Kenshin tucked her in as well, leaning down to brush a careful kiss across her cheek; he drew back in surprise when the action woke her. She opened her eyes slightly, just enough to be able to see him. "Ohayou," she whispered with a faint smile. He returned it and kissed her again, stroking her hair gently. He knew she enjoyed the sensation; after their marriage it had become a morning ritual for him to comb out her long raven locks until they shone. He fully intended to so do today, but he had things to attend to first.  
  
"Go back to sleep," he whispered, "I'll be back soon."  
  
Kaoru murmured her assent as her eyes slid closed, already mostly asleep. Satisfied that all was well for the moment, the rurouni slipped outside. He didn't bother to change out of his sleeping robe; no one would see him this time of morning, and besides he didn't need to hide anything from the person he sought. Prowling swiftly around the yard, Kenshin quickly located his quarry up on the roof of the bathhouse.  
  
The rurouni stared up at the hitokiri, who was dozing lightly in the growing light, again marveling at the fact that he could stand here and literally observe *himself*. It shouldn't have been possible, to see Battousai outside of his dreams, but he couldn't deny what every sense told him was true. He had slowly begun to remember more details from the previous evening, and he was awed at the power Yanagi had developed in such a short period of time. When he'd known him in Hokkaido, there had been no doubt the youth was good with ki; he'd always been able to sense Kenshin's presence easily without seeing him, but even more telling was his ability to mask his ki. Dampening your own life spirit was a difficult task and usually required extensive training, but as far as Kenshin knew Yanagi had always been able to do so naturally, and was good enough that he could easily sneak up to and surprise the former hitokiri. And that had been years ago, before the man had received any extensive formal training. //He's been traveling for seven years, developing his skills and seeking training from countless swordsmen, including Jine. This does not bode well. // Now apparently the man had advanced to the point where he could separate a person's ki into its component parts, an ability Kenshin could never even have conceived of existing. What other frightening skills did Yanagi possess, and what was his true purpose in all this? Perhaps even more importantly, did he have a way of recombining ki once it had been split? These questions and countless other whirled in the rurouni's mind as he stared up at the still-sleeping assassin.   
  
Battousai. Kenshin wondered if Yanagi knew what a potential monster he'd released in the form of the young hitokiri. It was Kenshin's worst nightmare come true; he'd tried so hard for so long to banish the young, temperamental, and often rather immature side of himself. Battousai was wild and unpredictable, with the unfortunate tendency to strike first and ask questions later. It was a side to his personality that normally he kept firmly reigned in, but now the hitokiri's chains were broken. Battousai was free to do whatever he wished, and that worried the rurouni to no end.   
  
It didn't surprise him that Battousai had stayed out here for the night. The youth's anger last night had been very real and powerful, and not unjustified; if it had been him, and he had felt that his temper was becoming a danger to others, he would have retreated as well. //But I've never had to do that. I won't deny that I've gotten that angry before, but I never show it in front of others if I can help it. // Kenshin frowned thoughtfully and rapped on the side of the bathhouse. Battousai's eyes snapped open immediately, and he glanced down at the rurouni. "Oh, it's just you," he sighed. "What do you want?"  
  
"I don't suppose you're ready to discuss last night in a reasonable manner."  
  
Battousai raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean I wasn't being reasonable?"  
  
The rurouni rolled his eyes. Unlike the others, he was used to Battousai's sarcasm. "Well you seem to be in a somewhat better mood, at least."  
  
Battousai shrugged and hopped down off the roof, landing lightly beside his counterpart. "I had some time to myself, that's all. Kaoru already beat you to this discussion anyway."  
  
The rurouni narrowed his eyes at the younger man. "What exactly did you say to her?"  
  
Battousai suddenly looked guilty. He averted his eyes to stare off into the yard. "I was...um, a bit short with her. Actually, I kind of yelled at her and told her to leave me alone. I think I've made her really angry at me...not that I blame her."  
  
This genuinely surprised the rurouni. "You raised your voice to *Kaoru*? Why?" //Are you insane!? // was what he wanted to ask, but he held his tongue in check. Karou was not a woman to be crossed, and he was amazed Battousai was even still alive to tell the tale.  
  
The hitokiri shook his head. He shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, suddenly looking every inch the young boy he resembled. Though his face remained carefully impassive, Kenshin could see the distress in his eyes. "Something's not right...with all this. With *me*. I don't know what it means."  
  
"Neither do I," the rurouni murmured, gazing at him with sympathy. "I suppose my stupid carelessness is to blame."  
  
"No, I shouldn't have said those things." Battousai was now completely unable to meet the rurouni's eyes. "I suppose it's one thing to berate each other in our mind, but to do it aloud..."   
  
The rurouni privately agreed; now that he thought about it, they had merely been continuing what normally went in on in Himura Kenshin's mind when he was under stress, with no thought of how it seemed to the others. "True, nevertheless it will probably happen again, won't it? Yell at me if it makes you feel better, but don't take this out on Kaoru. She doesn't deserve it."  
  
"No, never," the younger Kenshin agreed. "I...I'll try." He could tell the rurouni was not satisfied with this answer, but he honestly felt that he couldn't promise anything right now. Sitting up all night thinking had helped, but he still felt very on edge and temperamental. "I suppose we should...make breakfast?" He asked uncertainly, raising his head to meet the rurouni's gaze.  
  
Kenshin looked thoughtful at this. "Well, there is Kaoru to consider. I have to do her hair sometime this morning, and she'll be up soon. How about you make breakfast while I do that?"  
  
The hitokiri blinked and stared at him. "Hey! Why do *you* get to brush Kaoru's hair! She's my wife too!" His eyes narrowed in sudden challenge. "Which brings to mind a number of other...issues that are going to crop up now that there's more than one of us."  
  
The rurouni squirmed uncomfortably. The thought had crossed his mind, actually, but he'd been hoping that the younger Kenshin wouldn't make an issue of it. // Well that was a stupid notion. I should know myself better than that. //  
  
Then an idea suddenly occurred to him. "Well, actually, seeing as you're a *boy* and quite a bit younger than Kaoru, it really should be me doing the husband thing, don't you think?"  
  
"I am not younger than her!" Battousai said indignantly. "I'm the same age as you, even if I-" He brought himself short, eyes widening in shock. "Wait...what do you mean I look like a boy?"  
  
The rurouni sighed. "It's what I said, you look about fifteen at most. You're the same age as when-"  
  
"This whole mess began," Battousai whispered, his expression horrified. "But...why?" He winced when he thought about it a little more. "My behavior does leave a lot to be desired, doesn't it?" He scowled. "Fine, do the husband thing for now, but we're going to have to work this out later, especially if..." He trailed off, neither wanting to acknowledge the thought that this condition might actually be permanent.  
  
"Go start breakfast," the rurouni said gently, "I'll join you in a moment."  
  
~*~  
  
Battousai went through the normal routine of preparing miso and rice for breakfast, his brain running mostly on autopilot. //It's not fair! // he thought furiously, chopping the vegetables with unnerving speed and ferocity. If he noticed the deep grooves he was gouging in the wooden cutting board, he showed no signs of caring. //I swear to the gods when I find that little ass I'll make him *so sorry*...// The brief image of a gleaming sword slicing clean through Yanagi's thin frame flashed through Battousai's mind and he allowed himself a grim, almost murderous little smile.   
  
"Um...Kenshin?"  
  
Battousai's head snapped up in shock, the kitchen knife frozen in mid-air. "Yahiko?" //How in the hell did he just appear like that? First Sano...and now him. // Absorbed in this new puzzle, the young Kenshin wasn't aware of the scowl on his face, which was keeping Yahiko frozen like a cornered rabbit.  
  
The young samurai stared at the hitokiri before him in growing alarm. //Oh shit, it wasn't a dream! // He'd woken as usual to the sounds of Kenshin making breakfast, and had wandered in fully expecting the rurouni to be there...but instead he'd found a stern-faced, flame haired boy, his long hair tied high in a samurai's topknot. Battousai appeared to be thinking about something, and that's when Yahiko saw it...the small, terrifying little smile that had appeared on the boy's face, an expression he had never seen on Kenshin's face before, and one he hoped to never, ever see again. He hadn't meant to startle the hitokiri so badly; now he was glaring at Yahiko with an angry scowl, the large kitchen knife clenched in white-knuckled fingers. Yahiko's entire body was shaking with fear; looking into Kenshin's fierce golden eyes he could suddenly believe every awful story he had ever heard about the Hitokiri Battousai. //It's just Kenshin, it's just Kenshin he won't hurt me...// Yahiko repeated to himself like a mantra as he tried to edge back through the doorway. Suddenly Battousai blinked and put down the knife, the anger in his gaze gone as if it had never been. "Yahiko?" he repeated softly. "Wait...where are you going?"  
  
The boy swallowed hard and hovered in the doorway. "I-I'm sorry I didn't mean...I'll just come later okay?"  
  
"No! I-" but Yahiko was already gone; Kenshin could hear his feet pounding all the way back to his room. There was absolute silence as Battousai stared after his young friend. "Yahiko..." He heard light steps coming from the opposite direction and felt a gentle tug on his sleeve. Slowly, Battousai let his gaze drop and he looked into a face startlingly like his own, only much younger. "Shinta."  
  
The tiny boy smiled warmly and leaned against Kenshin's leg, winding the rough fabric of his hakama around his short fingers. Battousai sighed gently and resumed chopping vegetables, now at a much more reasonable pace. For some reason he felt calmed by the boy's presence. With Shinta leaning against him he felt much more normal, almost as if he were whole again. The relief that flooded through him was very welcome, and almost absently he reached down to tousle the child's feather-soft hair. "Thank you."  
  
Shinta nodded, not bothering to reply. After all, they were one; there was no need for words between them.  
  
~*~  
  
The rurouni returned to their room to find Kaoru already awake and partly dressed, carefully arranging the folds of her kimono. She looked up when he came in and watched in thoughtful silence as he quickly dressed. Walking over to the package of gi from yesterday he shook out the new blue cotton one, slipping it over his shoulders and tying it through long practice. Tying his hakama he turned to face her, a shy smile on his face.  
  
"You look really nice," Kaoru said softly, her eyes tender. "Does it fit all right?"  
  
He shrugged and came over to help her with her obi. "It's a little big in the sleeves, but I'm used to that. I really did need a new one."  
  
Kaoru sighed gently and held the obi while Kenshin tied it behind her. "I suppose we'll need to get another one for *him*, though, won't we? He can't go around in that tattered thing." Kaoru felt Kenshin's hands freeze and his breath catch at the mention of Battousai. Kaoru continued, aware of Kenshin's growing nervousness behind her. "Little Shinta will need something too, though I guess we could use some of the old training gi and hakama from the storage shed."  
  
"Yes, we could," Kenshin whispered in a pained voice. "Kaoru I...I don't know what to do. I wish I knew how long we're going to be like this. They've been so much trouble already...."  
  
"Oh, and you're not?" Kaoru said good-naturedly. She turned around and gave a small gasp at the genuine distress on his face. //Mou! He takes everything so seriously. // She gently pulled him into a hug, which he accepted gratefully. "Kenshin, it's okay. We'll find a way to fix this. What I *don't* want is to see you taking all the blame for this."  
  
Kenshin withdrew from her embrace, embarrassed. "Am I that transparent?"   
  
Kaoru smiled. "Yes, you are my self-defeating Rurouni. Listen, don't let Batt-Kenshin push you around and make you feel guilty. No one's at fault for this."  
  
The rurouni bowed his head. He was a little puzzled at how she'd stumbled over the hitokiri's name, but he let it go for now. "He's right to be angry though."  
  
"No," she said firmly, "he isn't, which is what I made clear to him last night."  
  
Kenshin looked up sharply, upset. "He yelled at you, didn't he? I won't let him make you unhappy, he has no right!"   
  
"Kenshin," Kaoru said, exasperated, "relax. Did he step over the line a bit? Yes, but I handled it just fine. You let me deal with him, all right? You no longer have control over what he does, and seeing as he is also my husband, he is my responsibility to deal with when he misbehaves."  
  
Kenshin stared at her with wide eyes. Apparently that thought had never occurred to him. Kaoru nodded at his unspoken question. "Yes, he is a part of you, isn't he? However, I somehow doubt that anything you say will have much of an effect on him. If I may propose my own little theory on this, he's just as set in his ways as you are. If you try to boss him around you'll just end up fighting like you did last night. So I say just let him be himself, and if he gets out of line I'll handle it."  
  
The rurouni frowned, certain she was oversimplifying things a bit, but nodded reluctantly. "All right, koishii. I just hope you're right about him."  
  
"Kenshin." Kaoru cupped the side of this face, placing an affectionate kiss on his nose. "He's *you*, a little sharp-tongued maybe, but nevertheless he's *Kenshin*, which means he's not some evil monster. He's a good man like you, so everything will be fine. All right?"  
  
Kenshin nodded again, but he couldn't banish his nagging doubts. While he admired Kaoru's confidence in his moral character, Battousai was right; there was something very wrong with all of them, something that extended beyond the fact that they were separated, but for the life of him he couldn't think of what it could be. Submitting to his wife's unshakable faith in him, he went to get her comb. He enjoyed anything that made her happy, and he looked forward to doing something normal and routine.   
  
~*~  
  
"Yahiko, you're being stupid, come on."  
  
The eleven-year-old scowled and stubbornly dug his toes into the floor. "No, I'm telling you that guy *scares me*, you didn't see the way he looked! I'm not going out there."  
  
"Oooh, the great Tokyo Samurai is *scared*? Never thought I'd hear that one Yahiko-CHAN."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
Sano stepped forward and clubbed Yahiko on the head, hard, sending the boy reeling. "You ungrateful brat, Battousai's not going to hurt you! Even if he is the one who cooked-" Sano still could hardly believe that one "-he's not going to poison you! This is *Kenshin* or did you forget that already?" Hauling the dazed kid up by the collar of his gi, Sano slug him over his shoulder and stalked out into the hall. "I'm hungry, so let's go!"  
  
Breakfast was an odd affair indeed, though not quite as awkward as tea the previous night. Battousai's cooking was exactly the same as Kenshin's (not surprisingly), and quite edible. Yahiko though picked at his food, his normally ravenous appetite dampened by his unpleasant encounter that morning. Battousai watched Yahiko out of the corner of his eye as he ate. Though outwardly he appeared stoic and uncaring, inside he was worried for the boy. He hadn't meant to frighten him, and he mentally cursed his lack of control. He wasn't sure whether to bring the subject up at breakfast in front of everyone; he figured Yahiko would be quite embarrassed, and also he'd have to admit to his murderous thoughts about Yanagi. Kaoru was already upset with him; he didn't need her getting any angrier. //Damn it, I don't need to be scaring all of them either. // He shoved away his self-pitying thoughts, determined *not* to think like the rurouni. Pity was a useless emotion for him, and he would not fall prey to it.  
  
Shinta sat next to Battousai and hungrily devoured his meal. It had been a long time since he'd been this hungry. It was a bit confusing for him, his child's body and mentality mixing with the adult thoughts and memories of Himura Kenshin. He didn't let it bother him though. It was nice to finally be able to play and laugh freely. At the same time though, he was very aware of the mental states of the people around him, and he could feel the confusion and anguish of everyone at the table. Battousai especially radiated misery and discontent. Shinta had chosen to sit next to him for precisely this reason. He calmed Battousai, as he had discovered this morning. He wanted nothing more than for everyone to be happy again. Gently setting down his bowl, he beamed brightly at everyone. "So what're we going to do today? Can we play?"  
  
Kaoru, who'd been lost in thought, looked at him with a blank expression. "Play?"  
  
"I don't think Ayame-chan and Suzame-chan will be coming over today," the rurouni said quietly.  
  
"Oh." Shinta looked downcast. This wasn't working to lighten the mood at all! "Well, we should all do something fun together then! I mean everyone's so *sad* and there really is no reason to be, right Battousai-san?"  
  
"Don't call me that," the hitokiri said in a low voice. Yahiko glanced up, a faint look of surprise on his face.  
  
Shinta seemed genuinely confused. "Why not? That's who you are."  
  
"No. I'm. Not." Kenshin bit out through clenched teeth. "I'm Himura Kenshin, stop calling me by that hitokiri's name. Just Kenshin will do."  
  
"But..."  
  
"No," he snapped, "It's bad enough that everyone from Yanagi to Saitou calls me that when they know I hate it, I don't need to hear it from you as well."  
  
Shinta looked down into his soup. "Sorry."  
  
Battousai could feel the rurouni glaring at him in disapproval. "And I don't need any flack from you either, Rurouni, so stop scowling at me. I've had a hard time here."  
  
"Obviously," the rurouni growled.  
  
Kaoru stared open-mouthed at Battousai. //So I was right about his behavior. He gets irritated so easily and once he starts reacting, it's like he can't stop himself. // Part of her sympathized with his plight, but at the same time his utter lack of tact was smothering the atmosphere of the room, and she couldn't stand to see all three of her Kenshins looking so miserable. "Kenshin, at the risk of sounding completely insensitive, keep your thoughts to yourself. Unless of course you really enjoy dragging everyone else down into your foul mood."  
  
The young Kenshin looked up in shock. With the expressionless mask gone, he suddenly looked painfully young. "What? I don't...I didn't mean..." He suddenly seemed to realize what it was he'd really been saying and he dropped his head to stare miserably at the table. The rurouni looked at him with a helpless expression, uncertain what to say. Shinta stared at Battousai's slumped form for a moment, thinking. Then he stood up and surprised everyone by wrapping his short arms around the teenager in a tight hug. They stayed like that until Kaoru heard Battousai give a shuddering sigh of relief.  
  
"Better?" Shinta whispered, withdrawing his arms.  
  
//What did he do? // Kaoru wondered. The rurouni looked just as astonished as he watched Battousai straighten back up, his expression much calmer. "Shinta-kun?"   
  
"It's okay," the boy said brightly. "He was letting himself get really mad again, he'll be okay for a little while now."  
  
//And the Weird Shit scale goes up another notch. // Sano thought as he watched the bewildering interaction.  
  
"Hey, um...Shinta-kun?" Everyone's gaze slowly panned to Yahiko.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I'll think I'll take you up on that offer."  
  
~*~  
  
The rurouni and Kaoru remained inside to do the dishes while the others went outside. Kaoru watched through the open door as Shinta and Yahiko played in the yard, tossing a large paper ball between them. Sano leaned against the gate and watched in amusement, while Battousai sat in the shade of the porch, deep in silent thought.  
  
"You know," she said quietly after a moment. "It's strange. Compared to the other two you seem so...well *normal*. As if nothing had happened."  
  
"Do I?" he answered solemnly, picking up a rice bowl. "It may seem that way, but I don't feel normal inside."  
  
Kaoru looked at him curiously, waiting for him to continue. "It's hard to explain, but I feel so *empty*, like I don't want to do anything. I don't want to fight or play, I just want to sit here with you."  
  
~  
  
Yahiko tossed the ball long and Shinta gave a small cry of dismay as a breath of wind caught the paper sphere and carried it far across the yard, around the other side of the dojo. "I'll get it!" he yelled over his shoulder, taking off at a run.  
  
~  
  
"I don't know what's happening to me," the rurouni continued in worried tones. "But I'm more fearful for Kenshin. He's having the worst time of all of us. We weren't meant to exist separately."  
  
~  
  
Shinta ran after the ball, which finally came to a rest against the back wall of the dojo, where a large tree overshadowed the wall. As he knelt to pick it up he felt the stirring of a *presence* close by. He froze where he was, cocking his head and listening with unchildlike intensity.   
  
*There.*  
  
Eyes narrowed, Shinta approached the wall and stared hard up into the branches of the tree. He might be in a much smaller and weaker body now, but his ki abilities hadn't suffered at all, and he could clearly see the other person perched in the center of the tree, spying on the dojo. It took only a little more concentration to identify who it was.  
  
"I know you're there Yanagi-san," Shinta said in a cold, steady voice very unlike that of a child. He felt the other presence stir in response, almost as if it were now...nervous.  
  
"You're a bad man," the boy whispered, "A very, very bad man. Battousai-san's very angry with you right now, so I don't think you want to see him yet." More nervous stirrings from the man in the tree.  
  
"Go away," Shinta said firmly. "Or I will tell them you're here right now."  
  
~  
  
Kenshin made to rise from where they had been crouching over the wash bucket, but Kaoru stopped him with a touch of her hand. "Why is he always so angry?"  
  
The rurouni sighed. "Not angry so much as frustrated. He's on new ground now, and when it comes to situations outside of a fight he's not sure what to do or how to react, so he becomes frustrated...which leads him to anger."  
  
"Is this a normal thing?" Kaoru asked, faintly alarmed by this insight into her husband's mind.  
  
"It used to be...yes. But it's been a long time since I've felt that way."  
  
"Rurouni-san." Both Kenshin and Kaoru looked up at the tiny figure that had appeared in the doorway. He had an uncharacteristically serious expression on his face.  
  
"What is it Shinta-kun?"  
  
"Yanagi-san was watching the dojo, but he's gone now."  
  
"WHAT?!" Everyone jumped at Battousai's shout. He'd heard Shinta quite clearly and was running for the gate before anyone could stop him.  
  
"Battousai-san, wait!"  
  
Battousai practically kicked open the dojo gate, running out into the street and casting his senses wildly for Yanagi. That's when realization hit him full force: he couldn't feel anything, no stirring of ki at all, not even from those inside the dojo. //Just like with Yahiko and Sano, he was here and I had no idea. Oh this is *not* good. //  
  
"Kenshin?" Kaoru watched her husband anxiously as he stood stock-still in the middle of the street, looking more and more infuriated with each passing second.  
  
Shinta pushed his way through the line of people and walked out to the hitokiri. "Kenshin-san, he's not here anymore, I told him to leave."  
  
Battousai fixed Shinta with a glare that could have killed as effectively as any sword. "*Why*?"  
  
"Because you're not ready to face him yet," the child told him plainly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Look at what you did just now! You don't even have a sword!"  
  
"He's right, Kenshin," the rurouni added quietly. "If anyone faces Yanagi, it needs to be the three of us together."  
  
"Hey, don't forget about us," Sano added. "We're here to help you know."  
  
Battousai stood with clenched jaws, amber eyes burning with frustration. Every fiber of his being wanted to take off in hot pursuit of his enemy, but he could hear the logic in their words, and with all his will he fought down the unstable anger burning in his gut. Breathing deeply, he centered himself. The Kenshin-gumi breathed a collective sigh of relief when he looked at them again with calm eyes. "All right, then. So where do we start looking?"  
  
TBC...  
  
A/N: Wow that got wordy, but it was necessary, I was trying to cover a lot of ground in this section. Next time: Yanagi's spy trip, the Kenshin-gumi lays out a ground plan, and Akari gets her night out...sort of. It all ties together, I promise ;) Responding to the last batch of reviews, I would *love* for either Hiko or Saitou to drop by but I really can't think of a reason for them to appear. Hiko doesn't leave Kyoto for anything, and Kenshin wouldn't go to him for help anyway; think of the embarrassment! Poor Ken-chan would never live it down -_-;; As for Saitou, according to the manga he applied for a transfer somewhere, and Yanagi is not the kind of guy Saitou goes after, so he wouldn't return to Tokyo for that reason. In the world of Omake though anything is possible ^_^ *gears start turning in brain* hehe...see you for chapter 6!  
Oh, and I only had one new Japanese term this time, for those who don't already know Ohayo = good morning. 


	6. chapter 6

Prism  
by Calger459  
Chapter 6  
  
Conventions: *...* is emphasis, //...// is thoughts  
  
Wow, six chapters already...this is a new record for me :) Thank you so much for all the great reviews, I'll try to get as much of this story written as possible before I have to go back to teaching in a couple weeks (when all my time to write will suddenly go *poof*), but I honestly can't say how long this fic will be...theoretically I could go on forever with interactions among the Kenshin-gumi alone. I do know where this fic is going, it's just a matter of getting there ^_^ Btw, lots of references to the plot of "An Inn in Hokkaido" in this chapter, if you haven't read it you might be a bit lost, though I've tried to spell it out for those who haven't read it. On with the fic!  
  
Disclaimer: Wow, I'm really getting tired of writing these. Don't own RK. Yeah.  
  
~*~  
  
Yanagi left the hotel as early as possible, just as the sun was starting to be visible over the trees. He was already uncomfortably hot in his Western suit, despite the chill of the morning, and his nervous sweat wasn't helping any. He knew what his mission was, but he found his feet dragging as he made the long walk to the Kamiya dojo. He wasn't sure what he'd find when he got there. He had a pretty good idea of what he'd done to the former hitokiri, but he'd never actually tried it on someone like Himura before, and so the results were unpredictable. Akari's disapproving scowl flashed in his mind's eye and he found his steps hurrying a bit. //If she knew what'd I done, she would never forgive me. // He supposed he should be ashamed for using another man's life as an experiment, but he'd found that over his years of traveling his power over ki had become something of an addiction. He'd spent so much of his life in Hokkaido having little to no control over the direction of his own life; his father had repressed him and tried to make him marry a girl he despised, and Sakura-san had given him a job but had treated him like a bit of refuse stuck to the bottom of her sandal. Everyone had been like that back then, refusing to trust or believe in him, crushing his ideals and bossing him around.  
  
Then Himura had come, and everything had changed. As much as he hated to admit owing anything to anyone, it was Himura who had finally opened a path for him to get out of Hokkaido for good. It had taken Yanagi hardly any time to figure out that Himura was the legendary Battousai, and while he had feared such a potentially dangerous man, he'd also been intrigued by his outwardly gentle and friendly demeanor. What kind of man was Battousai to have two such different faces? Hope soared in his heart at the opportunity the strange swordsman represented, a chance to learn sword arts from the best that Japan had to offer. With that strength he'd prove his worth to his father and finally claim Akari as his own.  
  
His plan had nearly failed, however; Himura turned out to be even more formidable than Yanagi had imagined, easily brushing aside his requests for training and turning an unforgiving mirror on the way the young man had been living his life. He saw so clearly the joke his life had become, the way he'd submitted like a willow in the wind to the people around him. That painful realization had filled him with anger unlike any he'd ever felt before, and the reckless behavior that followed had nearly cost him his life...if it hadn't been for Himura saving his butt at the last second.  
  
From that moment the world had never looked the same. He'd married his beloved and finally left Hokkaido, but his thirst for more strength had only intensified as the years passed. He knew his one asset was his strength with ki, and the control it gave him over himself and others had become like a drug he couldn't live without. For a short while he'd tried to ignore his abilities, instead drowning himself in Akari's affections. But it hadn't worked and so in secret, aware of Akari's suspicious scrutiny, he'd begun to pursue the training he'd longed for all his life. His abilities had grown by leaps and bounds, and when two years ago he'd encountered a rouge and unstable hitokiri by the name of Jine he knew he'd hit an all time low in his pursuit of power. Many times he'd come close to backing out of his unsavory deal with the man, but one evening Jine happened to mention that he'd been contracted to locate a specific man, one he'd longed to face since the days of the revolution: the Hitokiri Battousai. That had gotten Yanagi's attention, and within a few days he'd gathered a great deal of information about the potential whereabouts of his old acquaintance. Soon after that Jine disappeared, and for a while Yanagi managed to put the red-haired swordsman out of his mind, instead concentrating on developing his abilities beyond what Jine had taught him.   
  
Yanagi turned and crossed over a small bridge. On the other side an old woman sat slumped against a low wall, snoring softly. In his mind's eye, her life spirit resembled a faint glowing aura, surrounding her body in gentle light. If he let his mind wander he knew the glow would fade and she would look no different from the bricks she leaned against, but by concentrating just a little she lit up for him like a candle in the night. Seeing her there reminded him of the old, drunken man he'd found one night in the streets of Osaka, a man who'd had an unusually strong spirit for one in his condition.  
  
It was this man who started Yanagi's current ki obsession. Intrigued by the man's world-weary aura, Yanagi had struck up a casual conversation with him and it was in this way, completely by accident, that he discovered a way to separate ki. Exercising the same mind control he'd so often used on Akari, he tried mixing that with a form of Jine's Shino no Ippo, just to see what would happen. That's when he'd felt it, a slight difference in the man's aura. For the briefest of moments it was as if there were two men instead of one in the bum's body. Fascinated by this, Yanagi returned night after night to experiment on the old man, trying to recreate what he'd seen before: two glowing halos instead of one surrounding the man's body. Part of him, a voice in his mind that had grown steadily weaker over the years, begged for him to stop, that what he was doing was even worse than suppressing his wife's will to argue or paralyzing another's body. He was taking apart the man's very *soul*, and it was slowly killing him. The bum's spirit grew weaker with each attempt, and the physical effects were quite visible; every time Yanagi saw him the man was just a bit sicklier, his face and body growing thin and feeble. //So what, he's going to die anyway, // he'd reasoned with himself. //If he just disappeared tomorrow no one could care, and besides imagine the things I could *do* with this technique once I've perfected it! //   
  
Actually, he wasn't entirely sure what those "things" were, but in his half-crazed, power-drunk mind such trivial details didn't matter. All that was important was the *control* he had over this man's life and spirit. Ruthlessly crushing his tiny voice of reason Yanagi continued relentlessly, until one night he finally succeeded in fully splitting the man's spirit into two halves, one light and peaceful, the other dark and angry. //Good and Evil, Yin and Yang. // Yanagi had mused thoughtfully, observing the trembling body in front of him. Then it had happened, something he had not expected. The man began to glow a faint blue and before Yanagi's stunned eyes he literally separated into two nearly identical bodies, lying side by side in the filthy alleyway. Excited by this, Yanagi tried to wake them to find out more, but the strain had apparently been too much for the old man. Both halves of him were dead.  
  
For many long moments Yanagi had sat in that alley, stunned beyond words by what he had just done. There had been words that Himura had said to him long years ago in Hokkaido, about his potential as a swordsman and the choices he would have to make if that was the path he wished to walk in his life. The ex-hitokiri had warned him about something like this, about how easy it was to walk an evil path, even if your intentions had originally been well meaning and innocent. He'd just used another human being as if he were nothing more than an ingredient in some new recipe, and now that man was dead. //I've never killed anyone before. I knew he would die sometime, I just didn't think...that it would actually be by my hand. // Disturbed and more than a little frightened by his actions, Yanagi had quickly retreated, back into the safety of his Akari's arms.  
  
It had almost ended that night as Yanagi waited for the hammer to fall, fully expecting his long-suppressed sense of guilt to come roaring back to eat him alive...but it hadn't. While he felt a bit saddened by the old man's death, the guilt and remorse he had expected to feel never came. For long days and nights afterward he'd debated with himself on what to do. He was disturbed by his own lack of remorse, and wondered what it could possibly mean, but at the same time his desire for control increased even more. His new ability was just so *powerful*, and he thirsted to try it again. He felt that it wouldn't do much harm to a healthy man, and besides the old man's deterioration had come about both through his age and from Yanagi's repeated experiments. The next time he tried it, it would be a one-time affair. //Next time? // the tiny voice of his conscience had screamed, //Are you mad? You've gone too far! You have to stop this now and never ever do it again! //   
  
The Kamiya dojo came into view and Yanagi moved to walk along the outer wall. He was taking a great risk just by being here, but he had to know what had become of Himura. His conscience that night had been unusually vehement, and for a time he'd listened...but his soul was committed to the path he'd chosen, and it wasn't long before he'd arranged for a transfer to Tokyo, to the man who'd filled his waking dreams-and nightmares-for years. //I've gone too far to turn back now. Maybe I really have gone mad, choosing Himura for this... //  
  
Locating a tree that hung over the dojo wall, Yanagi quickly climbed it and settled into the branches to wait for some sign of the swordsman. It wasn't long before he could hear raised voices coming from inside the house, and then two children came outside and began playing with a ball. They moved to the front of the dojo, out of Yanagi's line of vision, and he strained both to hear and to pick up the ki inside. He counted six people, definitely more than he knew lived there, and he wondered if Himura was among them. The wind shifted and kids' paper ball came soaring toward his hiding spot, bouncing along the ground to rest right below the tree.  
  
A little boy came running after it, and Yanagi felt his eyes grow wide at the sight. The child appeared to be a pint-sized version of Himura Kenshin, red hair and all. //He has a son? No way, that can't be...// He studied the boy and felt his ki; an aura that was familiar indeed. //Oh my God...he's a *child*? What the hell?! //  
  
The boy stiffened in the middle of kneeling to pick up the ball and his head snapped up, violet eyes narrowed and alert. Yanagi froze, hardly daring to breathe, wondering if the boy had heard or seen him somehow. Then the child spoke, with a voice that sent chills up Yanagi's spine. "I know you're there Yanagi-san."  
  
There was so much menace implied in the child's tones, Yanagi had no doubt that this was indeed Himura Kenshin that stood before him...and his ki abilities appeared to be intact. //Shit, I should have been more careful. // The boy continued to stare straight at his hiding spot. "You're a bad man," the boy whispered, "A very, very bad man. Battousai-san's very angry with you right now, so I don't think you want to see him yet." Yanagi felt his heart flutter in fear, both at the implication of the boy's words and at the way the child's voice had dropped even further in pitch, losing all its childish innocence.   
  
"Go away," the boy nearly growled. "Or I will tell them you're here right now." Yanagi agreed; casting his senses back to the house he picked up two more impressions of Himura. //Three in all? I didn't expect that...// He felt more than a little daunted by what he had found out in the past few minutes. He may have gotten a bit more than he bargained for when he selected Himura for his technique. //If the boy is right and the hitokiri's loose...damn, what have I done? // This was going to require a bit of strategy on his part, and for that he needed time and distance. As quietly as possible, mentally cursing his own stupidity, he withdrew, dropping down to the ground on the other side of the wall and making his way quickly to the safety of the busier parts of the city.  
  
~*~  
  
Lunch was a very subdued affair, with no one quite sure what to do or say around each other. Battousai's earlier question on where they should start looking for Yanagi had so far gone unanswered. Battousai remembered that Yanagai's last name was "Shimizu", and Sano had volunteered to go scouting around his area of town to see if he could find out anything. Kaoru had the feeling that the former streetfighter just wanted to get out of the dojo for a while and recover a bit from the weirdness of the past day and a half. Part of her wished she could too, but Kenshin needed her there, though she knew there was little she could do to help.  
  
Leaving the three Kenshins to sit in sullen silence while they ate, Kaoru summoned Yahiko outside for practice. The boy seemed relieved for the excuse to get away from Battousai, and he threw himself into his strokes with enthusiasm.  
  
"Men! Men!"  
  
"Yahiko!" she barked, "If you're going to strike that hard, have some control over it! Start over, five hundred strokes!"  
  
Yahiko ground his teeth in annoyance but for once he did as she asked without complaint.  
  
Battousai watched Yahiko through the open door for a moment, then quietly excused himself. The rurouni watched him go out in the direction of the back of the house, away from everyone else. "This really has been very hard for him."  
  
"Yeah, it's too bad he's so stubborn," Shinta mused thoughtfully, "if he'd let himself relax and be a little more flexible, he wouldn't be so stressed out."  
  
The rurouni smiled a little and finished the last of his food. "I agree with you, but that's not easy for him. It's in his nature to be wary and defensive. What about you? You seem pretty cheerful."  
  
Shinta shrugged. "Someone has to be. You both know being depressed doesn't help, but since you're like that anyway, I'll just have to be happy for the both of you!"  
  
Kenshin laughed. The child's humor was infectious, and he was very glad to have the boy around. "I'm going to get started on the laundry, you can go play."  
  
"Hai!" Grinning from ear to ear, the boy ran outside.  
  
The rurouni quickly took care of the dishes then headed out to do his favorite chore. Laundry had over the years become almost meditative for him, the repetitive motions allowing him to relax and escape his worries. It was also very satisfying to scrub away dirt and end up with something clean and fresh; a very true, if slightly twisted, metaphor for his life. Settling down with the day's pile he began washing one of Yahiko's gi, listening idly to the familiar sounds of kendo practice around the corner.  
  
Intent on his task, the rurouni didn't register the light steps on the porch heading in his direction until they stopped right next to him. He looked up into Battousai's stern face. "Where did you go off to?" he asked casually. He kept his tone light, not wanting to agitate the hitokiri.   
  
Battousai narrowed his eyes a fraction. "We have a problem," he stated simply.  
  
The rurouni frowned, searching the other's face. Battousai made a vague gesture to his waist and Kenshin saw the two shinai tucked through his belt. "So you've noticed it too, then."  
  
Battousai sighed and closed his eyes. "When Shinta said Yanagi had been here and I didn't even know...several things fell into place for me. I can hear them practicing, but I can hardly feel them. They are faint as starlight when before they glowed as bright as candles."  
  
"How poetic." The rurouni ignored Battousai's glare. "I suspected as much from the beginning, though I was hoping that it was only temporary. So much time has passed since then though that I don't think there's any doubt...it seems that our separation has severely hampered our ability to read ki. As you said, this could be a serious problem indeed."  
  
"We should check to make sure," Battousai said, drawing one of the shinai and holding it out to the rurouni.  
  
"Aa." Kenshin replied, setting aside the gi and rising to take the bamboo sword.  
  
~*~  
  
"Five hundred!" Yahiko announced breathlessly, his arms aching from the exercise.   
  
Kaoru nodded in approval. "Good, that was better. Work on that form I taught you last week, I'm going to see if Kenshin needs any help."  
  
Yahiko snorted. "Which one?"  
  
Kaoru scowled at him, then turned to smile at the little boy sitting on the porch. Shinta has come to watch them some time ago and had sat like a perfect little angel, his legs swinging where they hung over the edge of the porch. "Want to come with me Shinta-kun?"  
  
*crack* All three of them started at the sound, which had come from the other side of the house. There was another sharp sound of bamboo striking bamboo and then a muffled curse. Glancing at each other in alarm Kaoru and Yahiko sprinted across the courtyard, Shinta right behind them.  
  
Putting on another burst of speed, Yahiko passed Kaoru only to skid to an abrupt halt as he rounded the side of the house. Kaoru nearly ran into him, and she had to grab onto his gi to keep from falling, but her protest died on her lips as she took in the sight before her.  
  
The two adult Kenshins stood facing each other, both armed with shinai. As they watched the two swordsmen slowly circled each other, eyes narrowed in concentration. Suddenly the rurouni flew forward, kicking up a small dust cloud with the speed of his attack. Battousai saw the strike and dodged, but not without the rurouni's shinai grazing his ear. Leaping back, he shot into the air and came down in a lightning-fast Ryu-Tsui-Sen.  
  
The rurouni shouted something unintelligible and blocked with his own sword, staggering under the impact. Both went down in a cloud of dust only to spring apart again. Almost without thought Yahiko moved to the porch for a better view, astonished at his luck. He was seeing Kenshin *practice*, for real! He was the luckiest kid alive! Grinning like a fool he plopped down on the wood to watch, Kaoru and Shinta coming quickly to join him.  
  
The two Kenshins made several more passes at each other, their speed increasing until they were nothing but streaks of color when they moved. Shinta observed the fight with interest, watching his two counterparts run through most of Hiten Mitsurugui Ryu's major special attacks, both of them successfully landing blows on the other. As awed as Kaoru and Yahiko were by the display, Shinta could tell that they were both holding back, neither wanting to hurt the other. He could also see that they were having trouble predicting the each other's moves. Battousai was naturally faster and fiercer than the rurouni, but the younger swordsman was taking most of the hits, seemingly unable to predict where the other would move next. //It must be hard to spar with yourself, but still Rurouni-san shouldn't be doing so well. // The child was no fool, and he felt his concern rise as Battousai took another hit from a well-placed Ryu-Shou-Sen. Their lack of prediction could only mean one thing, that they couldn't read each other's ki. //But I can do it just fine...what does it mean? // "Kaoru-san," he whispered, tugging on her sleeve. "Something's not right."  
  
"Hmm?" Kaoru was completely absorbed in the fight and didn't really hear the child's statement. She never got to see Kenshin practice either, and although she didn't show it, she was just as excited as Yahiko to witness such a rare event.  
  
Battousai snarled in frustration and circled wide, annoyed by the number of hits the rurouni had scored on him. The rurouni stood his ground, shinai held out straight in a defensive stance. "Shishou was right about us, you know. We rely too much on reading the opponent."  
  
The other grunted in acknowledgement and looked for an opening. The rurouni turned with him as he paced a circle, unwilling to drop his guard. //I need something fast and powerful to break his stance. // Battousai thought. The attack he needed came to mind and he tucked the shinai back through his belt, keeping his face carefully blank. He burst into a sprint, still circling, and the rurouni tensed visibly.  
  
"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Ryu Kan Sen Tsumuji!" The rurouni knew which attack it was the minute Battousai started to run and he tried to follow the hitokiri's motion, but it was simply too fast. With no bright mind's-eye glow of ki to guide him, he could only make an educated guess as to where the sweeping battou-juutsu would land.  
  
Yahiko felt his mouth drop open as he watched the hitokiri make his move. He'd never seen this attack before, and it was just so...*cool*. Battousai was airborne, leaping towards the rurouni, and as he flew he turned his body over so that his back was to the ground, the shinai gripped tightly in his right hand. Reaching the rurouni he wrenched his body over, drawing the shinai and sweeping it across the rurouni's chest, landing a solid blow. The rurouni went flying back, his shinai knocked halfway across the yard, and landed solidly on his rear. Battousai landed gracefully on his feet, breathing hard, and re-sheathed the bamboo weapon. "Well I think that's been decided. You all right?"  
  
The rurouni sat for a minute before getting up, trying to recover his breath. "Yes, thank you for holding back on that one. I was worried for a minute."  
  
//He was holding back?! // Yahiko wondered if was possible for your eyes to *really* roll out of your head if they opened wide enough. "Kenshin that was really, really cool!"  
  
Battousai glanced over at him and shocked the boy by giving him a very small, but quite genuine smile. "I've always thought so. It's a difficult attack to pull off though, and we've hardly practiced the last few months."   
  
The rurouni went to retrieve his shinai and came back to the porch, wiping the sweat off his brow. "Well that will have to change. We're going to have to compensate."  
  
Kaoru looked between them, suddenly lost. "For what?"  
  
The rurouni sighed and looked meaningfully at Shinta. "Do you want to tell her, or shall I?"  
  
Shinta shifted nervously under everyone's stares. "They can't read ki very well, Kaoru-san, but I still can. I'm the only one who knew about Yanagi-san this morning, and when they were sparring just now they couldn't predict each other. Hiten Mitsurugi *needs* ki, it's really bad if it's gone."  
  
"What? But...they looked fine to me," Yahiko said disbelievingly.  
  
"Yahiko," the rurouni explained patiently, "it seemed fine because we weren't trying to hurt each other, but in a real fight this could mean serious injury or death...for either of us."  
  
Yahiko was quite bright for an eleven-year-old and he put two and two together, looking at Battousai in sudden realization. "That's how I surprised you this morning, isn't it?"  
  
The hitokiri nodded, ignoring the questioning stares of the others. "Yes. For whatever reason only Shinta can read ki, but he's far too small to fight. It should be possible to work around this problem, but it won't be easy, and will take a little time."  
  
//At least he has an equal sparring partner now. // Kaoru thought as she watched the two Kenshins exchange meaningful looks. //I'm an assistant master of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, but I'm far below Kenshin's level. There's no way I can ever catch up to him. // Battousai's offhand comment had also emphasized just how proficient Kenshin really was with his chosen weapon; to be that strong after so little daily practice required true mastery.  
  
"Hey guys, I'm back!" Sano yelled from the gate.   
  
Battousai was the first to meet him, hurrying around the house at a jog, tucking the shinai thought his belt as he ran. "Did you find out anything?"  
  
Sano blinked at Battousai's enthusiasm. He opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by Yahiko. "Sano, you missed it, they were so cool!"  
  
"Um...who?"  
  
Both Kenshins blushed slightly while Shinta giggled. "You guys have a fan!"  
  
"He's always been a fan," the rurouni remarked matter-of-factly. Beside him Battousai nodded in agreement, the ghost of a smile on his face.   
  
Yahiko continued to babble excitedly about the sparring match. Sano did his best to ignore him, turning to the hitokiri. "I didn't find out much, except that he's been seen occasionally in the Western quarter in the company of gaijin the past week or so. He's brought some of these guys over the gambling houses the past few days, which is how anyone knew about him. I couldn't find out where he was staying, but I figured it was a start."  
  
"Thank you, Sano." Battousai said gratefully.  
  
"Sure thing," he replied, relieved to see that the teenager seemed to be in a better mood. "When's dinner?"  
  
~*~  
  
Akari took in Yanagi's bedraggled appearance with some concern. As promised, he'd arrived back at the hotel early to take her out to dinner, but so for far he'd been such lousy company she was starting to wonder why she'd bothered talking him into it in the first place.  
  
"Anata, are you going to talk to me, or just stare out the window?"  
  
"Hmm...?" he murmured distractedly, watching the trickle of people go by in the darkening street. In his mind he was turning over plan after plan of how to deal with Himura, but all of them kept hitting one major snag: Himura Kenshin was the Hitokiri Battousai, and no matter what there was no way Yanagi could ever best him in a fair sword fight. If Himura was now in three bodies, one of them had to be the legendary assassin, the killer he'd glimpsed briefly in Hokkaido when he'd stupidly tried to sneak up on the sleeping rurouni. //There's no way in hell I can beat him! And if he doesn't have the rurouni to hold him back...damn it, I just don't know enough! If only that kid hadn't found me I wouldn't have had to turn tail like that. I'll have to go back, or find another way of observing him. //  
  
"Yanagi!" Akari's fist tensed on the table and she seriously considered just belting her husband one to get his attention, social rules be damned. He continued to ignore her, chewing his lip slightly the way he always did when very deep in thought. She said his name again and when he still didn't respond her patience ran out; she reached out and smacked him smartly across the temple.  
  
It had the desired effect; he snapped to attention immediately. "Ow! What was that for!"  
  
She glared daggers at him. "*What* is going through that mind of yours? I wanted you to take me out so we could spend some time together, but instead you ignore me!"  
  
"Sorry," he murmured, but she could tell it wasn't entirely sincere. She felt her temper flare. "Yanagi..." she growled in warning.  
  
He held his hands up defensively. "I'm sorry, really I am! I just had a long day, that's all. I have a lot to think about."  
  
"Ah," she said, sitting back. "Care to share some of those thoughts with me?"  
  
//Think of something. // He knew he was losing her with his silence the past week, and he scrambled frantically to come up with something to placate her. //Damn it, I *need* her, but she can't know what I've really been up to. // "Well, the French don't want to deal with Tokyo merchants, they think they have an attitude when it comes to foreigners. They would rather take their business back to Osaka. I have to try and convince them to establish a market here." It was a half-truth, he actually had no direct contact with the French at all, but he hoped she would get bored with it and leave him be. He certainly didn't expect her to ask more questions.  
  
"The Japanese *do* have a dislike for foreigners, dear. Their concerns are not unfounded, so how do you plan to get them to stay?"  
  
"Um...well, that's the problem. I think what I need to do is go around and make nice with the shop owners around here, find out which ones would be willing to deal with gaijin, then introduce the French to them."  
  
Akari nodded. "Sounds reasonable. So what do the French want to sell?"  
  
//Ah hell. // "Well...Europeans like meat. A lot. They want to encourage the city folk to relax the meat taboo so that they can open a few restaurants, get some distribution going, that sort of thing."  
  
Akari blinked. "Well...okay, but most people do that anyway. There's supposed to be a really good beef hot-pot place around here...I think it's called the Akabeko, and it does very well." Yanagi was actually starting to sweat and twitch nervously in front of her. Most people wouldn't have noticed, but Akari knew her husband far too well to miss the signs. //He's making all this up. Why? // "Really, wouldn't they be better off selling their wine and...what did you call it yesterday?"  
  
"Cheese?" Yanagi asked hopefully. He visibly relaxed when she nodded. "I think you're probably right. I'll have to discuss it with them tomorrow."  
  
"Really." There was awkward silence at the table. "Yanagi."  
  
"...Yes?"  
  
"Do you even know what cheese is? What do you really do while I wait for you at the hotel."  
  
Yanagi sighed heavily and met her gaze. Staring deep into her eyes he pushed his way into her mind, exploring carefully, using his own will to dampen her suspicion. As he watched, her eyes glazed over slightly and he saw her relax. "I help gaijin establish new markets for their goods, that's all I do."  
  
She nodded dumbly and he felt his heart wrench. //Gods why do I keep doing this? *Why*? //  
  
~*~  
  
Battousai and the rurouni squared off in the main bedroom of the house, neither willing to give ground. "You got to stay with her all night while I slept on the roof! I'm not staying out there again."  
  
"Hey, that was your own choice! This has been weird enough for her already, we shouldn't make it worse by being in here at the same time."  
  
"Fine then, you go sleep somewhere else and I'll stay here. We'll take turns."  
  
"You're fifteen!"  
  
"Only in looks, besides we were married then, remember? I qualify."  
  
"What about me?" Shinta asked plaintively.   
  
Battousai waved at him dismissively. "You can go sleep with Yahiko or something."  
  
"Oh that's right, we'll just invade everyone else's lives in this dojo until they can't stand us anymore."  
  
"Why not, it's our house anyway."  
  
"That doesn't make it right! Besides, your behavior has been dismal. You don't deserve to be sleeping in here with her." The rurouni regretted his words the minute they left his mouth. Battousai drew back as if he'd been struck, the hurt clear in his eyes.  
  
"How-how *dare* you say something like that! I'm not some petulant child to be punished!"  
  
"Maa, maa!" Shinta said desperately, stepping between them. "Why don't we just ask Kaoru-san?"  
  
"Ask me what, gentlemen?"  
  
All three Kenshins whirled to face their wife, who was standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips, one eyebrow raised expectantly. They all knew THAT look, it was Kaoru's " I know exactly what's going on, but I want it explained anyway so I can solve the problem, then whack you over the head for being ridiculous" expression. The three Himuras exchanged nervous glances, none of them wanting to go first.  
  
Kaoru sighed heavily. "No no, let me guess...this is some silly male argument over who gets to share my futon, is that it?"  
  
The rurouni spluttered in shock, his face flushing crimson. "K-Kaoru!"  
  
Battousai rolled his eyes. "Look at him! I really should be the one to stay Kaoru, I think he'd just pass out on you."  
  
It was all Kaoru could do to keep from laughing, both at the rurouni's embarrassment and Battousai's amusement at his own shyness. It was endearing, and honestly she wasn't sure what she'd prefer in terms of sleeping arrangements. All three were technically her husband after all...  
  
"I'll just...go see Yahiko." Shinta said with a nervous laugh, ducking around Kaoru and vanishing down the hallway.   
  
Kaoru eyed the two remaining Kenshins. "Now guys, there really is no reason to argue about this, is there? Until this is resolved, you can both sleep in here, we'll just have separate futons. Kenshin-" here she cast a glance at the rurouni, "-if you could go get two extra futons from the shed that would be nice."  
  
There was a moment's tense silence before the rurouni complied, leaving the other two alone. Kaoru took in Battousai's rather miffed expression and sighed. "Look, it's only fair. What else did you want me to do?" Actually, she was pleasantly surprised that there had even been an argument; after their talk the previous evening she had seriously wondered if he cared about her at all. //It's good to know that he really is still Kenshin under that cold mask he always wears. //  
  
Kenshin shrugged and stared down at the floor. "I have no complaint, Kaoru. It's your decision."  
  
Karou approached him cautiously and touched his shoulder. She felt him stiffen. "It's not that I wouldn't want to spend the night with you, it's that I don't want to be the cause of even more friction between the two of you. Does that make sense?"  
  
He nodded, then carefully backed away from her. "It's all right, Kaoru, really. Goodnight." He moved away to sit against the wall in his familiar pose, with one knee raised and his chin resting on his chest.  
  
Kaoru sighed and turned away, unable to hide her own disappointment and sadness. "Good night, Kenshin."  
  
TBC...  
  
A/N: Gah, I start back at work on the 26th! Man, and I had such a good pace (for me anyway) going too -_-;; I'll do my best to make regular updates and not let more than a month go by between chapters, okay? LOL they keep getting longer and longer anyway, have you noticed? I'm really starting to get into this story ^_^ I have no idea how long this fic will be, I only know that I have lots of stuff planned, so expect the chapter count to get pretty high ;) "Yanagi", for those curious about the reference, means "willow". Yanagi isn't meant to be a likable character, but he nevertheless has some depth to him (or at least, I think he does) and yeah, he's completely nuts *makes circle motions by her ear*. Hmm...I wonder why Kenshin never attracts *normal* people to make trouble for him ;) If you haven't read "An Inn in Hokkaido" what are you waiting for! ^_^ Seriously though, it will help if you're at all confused about Yanagi's character.   
I have a book about the common people of Japan in the Meji era and they mention that Buddhism discourages the eating of red meat, and until the Meji era and the beginning of Western influences virtually no one touched the stuff.  
I hope you didn't think the practice scene was too short (thought it was as long as I wanted it to be), trust me there'll be lots more where that comes from ^_^ The plot thickens in part 7, and Battousai gets a bit more spotlight. See you there!  
  
Glossary:  
Men = one of the things you shout in Kendo while striking  
Yanagi = willow  
Aa = yes  
Hai = yes, or "okay!"  
Ryu Tsui Sen = literally "Dragon Hammer Flash", one of Kenshin's favorite and most effective moves  
Ryu-Shou-Sen = "Rising Dragon Flash", the one where Kenshin strikes to the neck from below  
Ryu Kan Sen Tsumuji = I don't have a good translation for this, but basically it means "Dragon Wind-Up Flash Hair-spin" or something like that, Kenshin uses it in his fight with Chou during the Kyoto arc.  
Gaijin = foreigners 


	7. chapter 7

Prism  
by Calger459  
Chapter 7  
  
Conventions: *...* is emphasis, //...// is thoughts  
  
Ahhh smell the romance in the air! Um...well, sort of -_-;; This is Battousai's chapter, I hope you like it ^_^ This is the last chapter before I go back to work, though never fear, I will finish this fic! I love writing it too much, and I've gotten very encouraging responses so far, arigatou! On with the fic!  
  
Disclaimer: *Calger-san hisses and growls, Disclaimer backs into a corner*. I think the point has been made ;)  
  
~*~  
  
Sano returned to the dojo the next morning in high spirits. He didn't have any new info on Yanagi, but his dice game has been great, and his handful of yen was definitely burning a hole in his pocket.  
  
Not even the sight of Battousai in the yard as he swaggered in through the gate could spoil his good mood, though he did a double take when he saw what the young hitokiri was up to. "Hey uh...hi there."  
  
Battousai pulled a white gi out of the wash tub and tossed it over the laundry line to dry. Pulling the fabric straight he glanced over his shoulder at Sano. "Ohayou," he greeted neutrally.  
  
//Back to his usual cold self I see. // Sano came closer. "Hey, why are *you* doing the laundry? I thought that was the rurouni's thing."  
  
"And what would you know?" Battousai asked quietly. His tone wasn't angry or joking; instead it was completely flat and toneless, betraying no emotion whatsoever.  
  
Sano hesitated, unsure how to interpret the comment. "Well I...I don't, I guess, it's just that laundry's kind of a *woman* thing you know?"  
  
"Sorry if I'm effeminate," the hitokiri said, a trace of annoyance creeping into his tone.   
  
Sano winced. "That's not what I meant, Ken-"  
  
"Yes it was, Sano. I do it to help Kaoru, no other reason."  
  
"Hey, what's with you today? Something happen last night after I left?"  
  
"Nothing of importance," Battousai snapped icily, dumping the used water out of the tub.  
  
//Well that could mean any number of things. // Sano thought as he followed the young Kenshin into the house. He spotted the rurouni and Shinta together in the kitchen preparing breakfast and he wandered in to join them. To his relief Battousai continued on in the direction of Kaoru and Kenshin's room. "Mornin'! Smells good."  
  
The rurouni smiled at him in greeting and tipped the vegetables he'd been cutting into the large soup pot. "Hopefully it will be good, though I'm running low on ingredients. I'll have to go to the market later today."  
  
"Sanosuke-san!" Shinta beamed, latching onto the lanky man's leg. "Ohayou!"  
  
Sano chuckled and ruffled the child's hair. "Hey kiddo, you helping out your 'niichan here?"  
  
Shinta blinked up at him. "He's not my brother, he's me!"  
  
Sano winked at the rurouni, who was looking a little pale. "Yeah I know, I was just kidding. Hey, what's with the other one? He just about bit my head off a minute ago."  
  
The smile vanished from the rurouni's face and he turned back to the miso. "He's angry with me again."  
  
"So what else is new? If he's not yelling about something or other he's as cold as a stone. What'd you do now?"  
  
The rurouni sighed. "It really doesn't matter, Sano. We-"  
  
"Battousai-san wanted to sleep with Kaoru-san but Rurouni-san wouldn't let him!" Shinta blurted out very, very loudly.  
  
Kenshin let out a panicked yelp and clapped his hand over the child's mouth. "Quiet, you!"  
  
Sano doubled over laughing, tears of mirth leaking out of the corners of his eyes. He had to lean on the doorframe for support. "Oh man, no wonder he was so pissed off! Whew, poor guy!"  
  
"Hey, that's not what happened!" the rurouni said defensively, his violet eyes narrowing.  
  
Sano kept laughing, grinning widely. "Oh really?" Coughing, he brought himself a little more under control. "Now that I think about it, your condition would cause a bit of marital strife wouldn't it?" He was about to say more but Sano wasn't quite prepared for the bokken that connected hard with his skull and sent him reeling. "Oi, Jou-chan!"  
  
"That is none of your business, Sanosuke!" Kaoru said, poking him meaningfully in the chest with her weapon.  
  
Sano frowned and rubbed his head, taking note of the rather nice kimono she was wearing. "Hey, you going out?"  
  
Kaoru nodded, handing the bokken off to the speechless rurouni. "Yes, we are, right after breakfast. We're running low on supplies, and there are some things I wanted to look at in town."  
  
"We?" the rurouni asked curiously. That's when he let his gaze slide past Kaoru to the nicely dressed man standing behind her. He had to look twice to confirm what his eyes told him. "Wait, with *him*?!"   
  
"You have a problem with that, Rurouni?" Battousai moved to stand beside Kaoru, dressed in a clean pair of white hakama and the green silk gi. Everyone in the room was surprised and a bit impressed to see Kenshin dressed so nicely. The gi set off his hair beautifully, and the flame-colored locks looked as if they had been freshly combed and tied into a high ponytail.  
  
The rurouni opened and closed his mouth several times, looking in confusion between the pair. Seeing his growing alarm and uncertainty, Kaoru stepped forward and spoke quietly in his ear for a minute. Sano raised an eyebrow in surprise when the rurouni slowly nodded and relaxed. "All right, koishii."  
  
"Hey, what was that?" he asked, but got no response. Kaoru gave him a look, which clearly said: "this is a husband and wife matter, keep out of it". //Right, I'll just be quiet then. Hmm, if the hitokiri can get the girl then I wonder what would happen if I dressed like that for the Fox...// Grinning devilishly, Sano followed the rest of the Kenshin-gumi into the dining room for breakfast.  
  
~*~  
  
Kaoru walked into town with Battousai, and as they grew further away from the dojo she could feel him slowly relax beside her, his cold mask softening just a bit.  
  
"Thank you for coming with me, Kenshin," she said softly, carefully reaching out to touch his hand. Her eyes widened a little in surprise when he curled his fingers around hers so that they walked hand-in-hand down the road. He nodded slightly, looking over at her with gentle eyes.  
  
//There's my Kenshin. // "What are you thinking about?"  
  
"That this whole thing must be so hard for you. And yet you put up with our petty arguments and keep smiling through it all. I wonder how you do it."  
  
"Because I love you." Kaoru wasn't quite prepared for the utter shock in his golden eyes.  
  
"You...mean the rurouni, right?"  
  
Kaoru sighed. "No, baka, I mean *you*. All of you: hitoriki, rurouni, and Shinta. You're all my Kenshin, and I love you all equally." She could see the doubt in his face. "Why do you feel that you can't be loved?"  
  
Battousai looked away sharply, muttering something. "What?" Not answering, he fell silent and Kaoru let it go for the moment, looking up into the bright morning sky above them. "It really is going to be a beautiful day."  
  
~*~  
  
Battousai let Kaoru set the pace as they wandered through the crowded market. She looked briefly through one clothing shop but decided that none of their kimono quite suited her. After that she took them to a perfume stall, then to the booth of a man who made handcrafted dolls. Kenshin found a smile tugging at his lips as she admired the small wooden doll of young girl, dressed in a tiny red kimono with a flowered obi. Kaoru sparkled with young innocence and delight, cradling the doll to her chest and talking with the owner excitedly about his techniques for sewing such small outfits. //I wonder if I was ever like her, able to laugh and smile so easily. I think that I must have been once; otherwise Shinta wouldn't exist. // The tiny, cheerful boy was certainly proof that Himura Kenshin still had some innocence left in him. Battousai however couldn't remember ever feeling that way himself, and until very recently he had considered such emotions fit only for naïve fools who had never seen the horrors human beings were capable of inflicting on each other. He himself had been one of those who had deliberately hurt people again and again, and while he knew Kaoru loved him he still had trouble understanding *why*. The feeling was even more pronounced now that he was separate from the rurouni; the way he looked at it, he had very few if any good qualities of his own. The rurouni was always optimistic and understanding, looking for the good in everyone. He, on the other hand, trusted no one, analyzing the words and actions of others with suspicion. He was a warrior and a killer, not a people person. Kaoru though...she was different. He trusted her.  
  
Kaoru picked up another doll and turned to him, holding it up for his inspection. "What do you think of this one?" The doll she held now was of a swordsman, his hand poised ready to draw his katana, his tiny gi and hakama perfectly made.  
  
Battousai nodded at the craftsman behind the table. "It is fine work."  
  
The doll maker grinned. "You are a swordsman then, sir? That is wonderful, there are so few left nowadays."  
  
"You were a swordsman?" Kaoru asked in surprise, carefully setting the doll back in its place.  
  
"Aa, during the Boshin wars, though in truth I saw little combat. But I still practice now and then; I am a great admirer of kenjutsu."  
  
"Are you interested in learning more about the sword?" Kaoru asked eagerly. "I run a dojo not far from here and we are currently seeking students."  
  
Kaoru chatted with the man for several more minutes, and Kenshin found himself smiling affectionately at her. Just being near her relieved some of the irritating feeling of emptiness in his soul. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and when she asked if it was all right to buy the doll of the little girl, he couldn't say no. They closed the deal by the man agreeing to think seriously about coming to visit the dojo some time that week. Waving goodbye to him, Kaoru moved on, the box with the doll held to her chest.  
  
"He really was nice man, wasn't he?"  
  
"Yes, and more students are always welcome. I hope he makes good on his promise."  
  
Kaoru nodded, then reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards yet another booth. "Oh Kenshin here it is, what I wanted to show you!"  
  
He blinked at her in surprise and turned to examine the shop. It appeared to be a stall run by a gaijin, and his shelves were filled with a bizarre assortment of objects from the West. Everywhere he looked he saw a bewildering profusion of glass and metal contraptions, each one stranger that the last. But the object that Kaoru pressed into his hand was even stranger: a glass triangle.  
  
"I was looking at this the other day, and when I thought about it this morning I realized what it reminded me of."  
  
Kenshin lifted the object and stared at it curiously, turning it over in his fingers. "What is it?"  
  
"It's a prism," the shopkeeper said in perfectly fluent Japanese. "It is an object of scientific curiosity, I explained to this fine lady how it worked the other day. Maybe now she can explain it to you."  
  
Kaoru nodded and grinned, taking the prism from him. "Here Kenshin see, when you hold it to the light just right-" she tipped it in the sun, watching its reflection on the side of the stall "-you can make a rainbow. There!"  
  
Kenshin looked and felt his eyes widen in amazement. What had before been a patch of white light on the wood of the stall was now a splash of rainbow color. Mesmerized, he reached out to touch it, watching the way his fingers turned colors themselves in the light. "Pretty," he whispered, blushing a little when he realized he sounded like a little kid. He really was curious though. "How does it work?"  
  
Kaoru laughed. "I knew you'd like it! The shopkeeper explained it to me; sunlight is made up of all the colors, and when that light shines through the prism it's broken up into its many parts, which we see as a rainbow."  
  
The gaijin nodded. "Well said."  
  
It took a moment for the information to sink in, and when Kaoru's reason for showing him this became clear he stared at her in open astonishment. "You see," she said quietly, seeing that he understood. "All the parts are equal, and all come together to make one. You are no more and no less than the others." Tilting the prism she made the rainbow colors merge back together, until there was once again a patch of white light on the wood.  
  
Kaoru handed the prism back to the shopkeeper and looked at Kenshin expectantly. //She wants to know what I think about this. // Battousai searched his heart for an answer, but found himself at a loss for words. When had she become so wise? //Baka, she was always wise. She tempers her intelligence and wit with innocence and fun, living life to its fullest. You could learn a lot from her. All she wants is your happiness, and for you to stop torturing yourself over events that are decades old. Isn't that why you love her so much? // "Kaoru...I..."   
  
She smiled, but there was a touch of sadness to her eyes. "I...just wanted to show you that. No matter what you're like or what you do and say, you are still Himura Kenshin to me, the man I love. You are part of a whole, right? So you are just as important as them, and just as worthy of happiness and love."  
  
"I know." Giving into impulse, Kenshin stepped forward and gently cupped her face in his hands. He heard her breath catch as his mouth hovered tantalizingly close to hers. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her right there on the street, but it simply wouldn't be appropriate. Settling for brushing his lips across her forehead instead, he released her, finally allowing his smile to show. "Thank you, koishii."  
  
Kaoru gave a sigh of relief when she heard the endearment; it was the first time Battousai had used it with her. She looked up at him, happiness shining in her eyes. "Hai."  
  
Battousai suddenly became aware of the bemused expression of the shopkeeper. "Those are some nice words kid, hope you remember them."  
  
Kaoru watched as Kenshin's cheeks flushed in embarrassment at his display. She was about to tease him a little about it when suddenly he just *withdrew*. His eyes grew flat and cold and all emotion left his face, the hitokiri's mask falling like a shutter over the passion he has displayed only seconds before. Kaoru was startled by the transformation; for several moments it had felt like she had been talking to *her* Kenshin, the normal whole man she'd married. She'd seen it in Battousai's face and eyes, and knew it was no lie. But now it was as if that man had never existed. He regarded the shopkeeper with cold eyes. The gaijin, for his part, looked bewildered, obviously at a loss as to what he'd done wrong. "Pardon us sir, good day!" Kaoru said hastily, guiding Kenshin away from the booth.  
  
Back out in the crowd she kept one hand on his, all too aware of the tense set of his shoulders and jaw. "Kenshin, what's wrong? What did he say to make you upset?"  
  
"I'm not a kid," he muttered angrily, gripping her hand tightly.  
  
"That's not the reason!" she began, then stopped herself. //No, don't get angry with him, Kaoru. That's the wrong way to handle it. // "I mean...it's okay for you to show a little affection, you know. You didn't do anything wrong."  
  
He sighed, and she could feel him struggling for control over himself again. "I-I know that I just...I'm sorry, Kaoru. Sometimes it feels like my body and mind act before my heart does." //That and it's naïve, innocent emotions like that which cause me to drop my guard. Yanagi is out there somewhere, and I have to be ready for when he shows himself. I can't afford to act like a lovesick child, no matter what I really feel. // Battousai said none of this aloud. Kaoru would only berate him for being a silly worrywart, and however true it might be he was afraid of his unstable temper flying off the handle again. He needed to calm down. "Let's...go to the Akabeko and sit down a bit. Would that be all right?"  
  
"Of course." Kaoru looked at the teenager in concern. He had relaxed a little bit as they walked, but she could hear his breathing, which was just a little too fast for the pace they were walking. He almost sounded *panicked*, and she honestly could not imagine what would cause the hitokiri to have such a bad reaction to one shopkeeper's innocent comment. //There's still so much I don't understand about him. For a few minutes, I actually managed to get him to relax enough to show me what he's feeling. I think, in those moments, he would have talked to me, and I could have asked him to explain what's really going on in his mind. How do I get him that way again? // Kaoru pondered this as the Akabeko swung into view.  
  
"Ah, Kaoru-san, hello! How was the fish last night?"  
  
//Oh no, I forgot! // Kaoru waved at Tae to be quiet but the restaurant owner plunged ahead, oblivious, stepping up to Kenshin. "It's been a little while Kenshin-san, how is everything at the dojo?" Kenshin stood frozen on the spot as she looked at him a little closer. //Oh Gods I should have thought of this...Tae-san, please don't look to close! //  
  
"Oh you look so handsome in that outfit!" she crowed happily, looking him up and down. "And that hair, Kaoru-san when did he start wearing it in a topknot? It looks stunning on him!"  
  
"Th-thank you," Kenshin stuttered, visibly recoiling from the woman's exuberance.  
  
Kaoru's heart sank even further when Tsubame appeared in the doorway, presumably to lead them back to their table. She took one look at Kenshin and her eyes grew huge. "K-Kenshin-san, your scar is gone!"  
  
"Tsubame-chan!" Kaoru hissed, stepping close to her. "I know, but please be quiet! There's a very good reason for it; I'll explain later, okay?"  
  
Tsubame looked extremely puzzled, but she trusted Kaoru and nodded without further comment. If Tae noticed the difference in Kenshin's appearance she didn't let on about it. Waving them in with a smile, she turned back to the other potential customers passing by on the street. Tsubame led them to a table and then let them be, dismissing herself with a quick bow.  
  
Kaoru sighed and relaxed, relieved to be off her feet. "Well that was a close one."  
  
"Indeed," Kenshin said in a low voice, staring at the tabletop. Kaoru could almost see the invisible wall he'd erected between himself and everyone else in the restaurant, including her. She couldn't be sure what was going through his head, but if his thoughts at all resembled the crippling guilt she knew plagued her rurouni then this was going to require drastic measures. More often than not, bluntness worked better than subtlety with Kenshin.  
  
"Kenshin, please, don't shut yourself away from me again. I want to help you."  
  
"I know," he said softly, still not looking up from the table. They sat in silence for many long moments until Tsubame delivered tea and lunch. Kaoru ate hers gratefully, her stomach growling with hunger, while Battousai picked at his. Kaoru watched him as she ate, looking for some sign that he was finally starting to relax. As the meal dragged on though he remained very tense, staring into his rice with clouded eyes.  
  
"Aren't you hungry, Kenshin?"  
  
He shook his head. She expected him to remain silent, so he surprised her when he began to speak. "I forgot that I look different like this. I didn't even think...and now Tsubame-dono will have to know what's happened. I feel like I shouldn't have gone with you today."  
  
"What are you afraid of?" she asked quietly. She moved carefully as she reached for her soup, so as not to startle him. His posture was rigid, like a wary animal ready to run at the first sign of danger. //No, in his case he would fight. It's not Kenshin's way to flee, no matter how great the threat. // "You can't stay cooped up in the dojo forever. I knew looking at you this morning that you needed to get out a bit; that's why I asked you."  
  
"I know and...thank you," he murmured, still unable to meet her eyes. "But I'm endangering everyone by revealing myself. I'm sure Yanagi will be back; he was watching the dojo for a reason. There's no telling what he might do, especially if he learns who else I know around town..." he didn't finish his statement, but Kaoru knew he meant Tsubame, Tae, and the group at the clinic.  
  
"I think you're right to be cautious Kenshin, but I know you and I know you're more than capable of defending yourself and us at a moment's notice if you need to."  
  
Kenshin raised his gaze slightly, his face uncertain. "Are you so sure about that? Megumi-dono was right about what she said about me, about my health. And with my ki hampered like this I'm even weaker."  
  
"You really are worried aren't you," Kaoru said. "I've never heard you doubt yourself like this before."  
  
He shrugged and stared out at the restaurant. "What was Tae-dono talking about when we came in?"  
  
Kaoru blinked at the change in subject and for a moment she fumbled. "What?"  
  
"The fish," he clarified, still not looking at her. "She asked if we enjoyed the fish. What did she mean?"  
  
"Uh...OH, oh that!" Kaoru laughed nervously and waved her hand at him. "Oh that was nothing, just something she donated for our dinner the other night."  
  
Now Battousai looked over at her, his eyes piercing in their intensity. "Kaoru."  
  
She sighed, defeated. There was no fooling him sometimes. "I wanted to celebrate the anniversary, so she gave us fish."  
  
He titled his head slightly, puzzled. "Anniversary?"  
  
"It's been a year since you came...since you saved me from Gohei." Kaoru murmured, staring into her lap. She didn't see the look of alternate looks of surprise and anger that flashed across Kenshin's face.  
  
"So all that was for me...you going to the Akabeko. And Yanagi ruined it."  
  
Kaoru nodded and Kenshin scowled, finding himself both touched and indignant on her behalf. //That bastard. It would have been a good dinner too... //  
  
~*~  
  
"No offense Kenshin, but the guy's an asshole."  
  
The rurouni glanced at Sano briefly before turning back to the garden. After Battousai and Kaoru had left that morning Sano had chosen to hang around with the rurouni, who had been unusually quiet and withdrawn all day. Sano knew why of course; despite Kaoru's reassurances Kenshin was obviously quite jealous of his younger half. Sano found it amusing, though part of him sympathized with his friend. Sano found that he truly disliked the younger Kenshin. The teenager was arrogant, rude, and had an explosive temper capable of deeply wounding anyone in its path. Sano honestly wondered why Kaoru would ever agree to spend the day alone with someone like that. He couldn't understand it, and it was only inevitable that his conversation with the rurouni would bring up the young hitokiri. Sano blinked in astonishment at Kenshin's reply. "I know," the redhead said simply.  
  
"What do you mean 'you know'? You say it like it's fine that he treats everyone like scum! I mean, Kenshin you're a *nice guy*! Even when I've seen you mad you never act like he does."  
  
The rurouni smiled a bit at Sano's frank honesty. He shrugged. "I suppose not, though I think that's just because I've mellowed with age, that's all."  
  
Sano frowned. "So you're saying that when you were a teenager you were *that much* of a prick to everyone?"  
  
"He's not *that* bad," Shinta said quietly, not sounding very convinced himself. He had joined their conversation some time ago when he got bored watching Yahiko practice. He sat across the small garden from the rurouni, pulling weeds with unchildlike expertise.  
  
Kenshin smiled slightly. "Only sometimes, usually when Shishou wasn't around to correct me. Behaving that way with him usually got me on the receiving end of his katana. It wasn't pleasant."  
  
"I can imagine." Sano cocked his head thoughtfully. "Huh, the real Kenshin revealed then, no rurouni mask of politeness or anything."  
  
Kenshin looked up at him and just *stared* for several long moments. Sano squirmed under the other's intense gaze. "Sano, you're oversimplifying it. He is a part of me, just as I am a part of him. I'd like to think that I know how to behave with proper manners, despite the thoughts that may sometimes run through my mind. Can't you say the same?"  
  
"I don't see how; my manners stink..."  
  
The rurouni shook his head and suppressed a groan. "No, Sano, that's not what I meant." He stood and faced the younger man. "Why is it that you don't like him?"  
  
Sano sniffed. "I thought it was obvious."  
  
"Is it now? Doesn't he remind you of anyone?"  
  
Sano raised an eyebrow, confused. "What?"  
  
"Why are we friends?" Kenshin moved to stand only a few feet from him, his expression earnest.  
  
"What kind of question is that? I don't know, we saved each other's butts a few times... and I guess you're one of the few guys I know who'll put up with me."  
  
"Why do you think that is?"  
  
Sano sighed in frustration and ran his hands through his spiky hair. "I don't know! Jeez, you can be so weird sometimes! Where the hell are you going with this? Look, I'm not saying *you're* the jerk Kenshin, Battousai is."   
  
"Don't call him that," the rurouni reminded him quietly. "And you still seem to be missing the fact that he and I are one and the same, despite a few minor differences." Kenshin could see that Sano still wasn't catching on. He tried another tack. "Why do you feel it's hard for others to 'put up with you', as you phrased it."  
  
Sano scowled for a minute. He wasn't going to reply to that but something about Kenshin's expression said that he honestly expected an answer; besides, he was curious to know just what the rurouni was getting at. "'cause, I get into fights all the time, I gamble all my money away so I freeload off Jou-chan and a bunch of other people, I'm not real good at being nice to people...I'm not real likable most of the time, I guess. I'm a tough guy, I don't go for all that sissy make-nice crap."  
  
"Neither do I," Kenshin said pleasantly. There was a pregnant pause.  
  
Sano felt understanding creeping at the edges of his mind; he tried to ignore it. "Sure you do, you're always so polite and refined and everyone likes you..."  
  
"That's right, Saitou has a secret fanclub devoted to me, and the Juppongatta and Enishi are all happy members. They follow me around and pick fights because they think I'm so incredibly nice and cool with my sword."  
  
Sano blinked in astonishment. "Did...did I just hear that come out of *your* mouth?!"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Sano could feel his mouth hanging open. The rurouni locked eyes with him. "You and I are very much alike, Sano. I just handle things differently now that I'm older. When I was your age I wasn't popular with *anyone*. Trust me on this one. On the other hand though," he continued, ignoring Sano's poleaxed expression, "the other Kenshin isn't normally so agitated. He's acting like this because of the situation we're in, not because it's in his nature to be vicious. His behavior has been much, much worse than usual."  
  
Sano slowly sank down to sit on the porch. "'Worse than usual'? I don't understand, you say that like he...like you're...damn it! What the hell is he then?"   
  
The rurouni crouched back down among the plants, dropping seeds carefully into one of the holes he'd dug in the soft soil. "Something I thought I had abandoned and grown out of long ago, until Saitou came and showed me that it was still there."  
  
Sano blinked, even more confused. "Huh?"  
  
Kenshin sighed. Sano wasn't the exactly the quickest of thinkers, but he seemed to be particularly dense today. It seemed he really was going to have to spell it out for the younger man. Kenshin didn't mind this though; he found that he *wanted* to explain himself to his friend, to make him understand. //For the first time, I can share this with someone else. It's strange, to have a friend I can confide in. // "Sano, do you remember what I told you during my fight with Soujirou? About how Battousai broke free in my fight with Saitou?"  
  
Sano nodded slowly. "Yeah, but why did you say it like that? You made it seem as if you had two people in your head instead of one."   
  
"You could say that, yes."  
  
"What? But Kenshin that's...that's crazy!"  
  
Kenshin shrugged. "Crazy or not, that's the way it is. I've been like this for so long I can hardly remember a time before it. It doesn't seem strange to me anymore, though I can see how it would to you. That younger Kenshin, the one you dislike so much, is for the most part a mask, a persona I adopted to do what I knew I normally could not. At the same time though, he's also me...as I was before I learned a lot of hard lessons about life."  
  
Sano felt his eyes widen as he stared at his friend. //I've never heard him talk like this before. He's being so...open. // "So you mean the assassin part of you is...fake?"   
  
"I wish he was," the rurouni muttered under his breath, so quietly Sano almost missed it. Kenshin gave a sharp shake of his head, continuing as if he hadn't spoken. "Yes, and no. He is complicated; as I said, you're oversimplifying him. He is a part of me that was originally harmless, just a boy like any other. But when he had to assume the assassin's role, he become something dark and dangerous, a killer in the shadows. At the time he had no choice; it was either kill or be killed himself. As time went on though, that darkness in him grew stronger, and for a while I lost control over him. Even all these years later, he still sometimes manages to break free. We are the same man, and yet not."  
  
Sano tried to work his mind around the concept. As bizarre and insane as the idea seemed, it fit with the Kenshin he knew, and explained a lot of his strange and often contradictory behavior. "How...I mean, what happened to do that to you?"  
  
Shinta has been silent throughout the conversation. He'd continued to weed the garden, his head bowed as he listened intently to the exchange between the two men. Now he lifted his head, his large eyes sad. "War," he said softly.  
  
The rurouni nodded in agreement. "You know the horrors of war, Sano. You've seen it for yourself. You've seen what it does to those involved."  
  
"Yeah," Sano murmured. "Yeah, I sure do." The image of his taichou's head severed and put on display for the crowds to jeer at flashed through his mind, just as vivid now as it had been the day he'd stood as a young boy outside the gate, hardly able to believe that his mentor was really gone. Anger had sparked within him then, rage towards the Imperialist pigs that had so brutally betrayed and murdered the man who had become like a second father to him. From that day forward he had vowed to become strong, and for ten years he'd lost himself in the violent life of a street fighter, fighting to escape the pain of his anger and loss. For a long time, he realized, it was as if there had been another Sagara Sanosuke within him. "Zanza" had taken on almost a life of his own; it had taken getting his ass kicked by Kenshin to bring him back to his senses again. //So that's how it must have been for Kenshin...only for him Battousai had become so strong it took the death of his own wife to wake him up to what he'd become. And even then, Battousai never disappeared. // Suddenly, it was as if a light had gone on inside Sano's head, and he looked up at the rurouni in growing alarm. "Wait, Kenshin, that other you...is he dangerous? He wouldn't do anything you wouldn't, right?"   
  
The rurouni's expression was grave. "I don't know that, Sano. What worries me about him is his lack of control over his own emotions...he's never been free like this before, so he is frightened and confused. He has no self-control because *I* am his self-control. That is where the split occurred, I think."  
  
"Oh...oh shit," Sano whispered, comprehension dawning. "So at any moment that kid could just snap?"  
  
Now even Shinta looked worried, biting his lip nervously. "Rurouni-san, what if he does? What do we do?"  
  
Kenshin stared off into the yard, no longer trying to hide the worry and fear etched into his features. "I really don't know, and that's what frightens me."  
  
TBC...  
  
A/N: Hmm can we say foreshadowing with a sledgehammer anyone? The plot I'd intended for this chapter got pushed aside in favor of all the character development, which just kept expanding ^_^ So how was the Battousai/Kaoru stuff? I really like the hitokiri part of Kenshin; yeah he's kind of a jerk but he has a strong sense of honor and no matter what he'll always protect his friends, especially Kaoru. And his skill with a sword, yum! Not to mention the hair and *ahem* sorry got carried away there ;) Things pick up in part 8. So, what happens when a crazy ahou from Hokkaido meets a royally pissed off hitokiri? Find out next time! ^_^ I go back to work Monday teaching art to cheerful children and rowdy teenagers *sigh* that's my lot in life ;) My time to write will be a bit limited, so it may be a week or two before an update. Gomen!  
I did do a little sketch of Battousai looking at the prism though, Kenshin's hard to draw but I'm getting pretty decent at it, if you're interested, please take a look! The URL is http://www.flame.org/~calger/anime/prism.jpg  
  
Glossary:  
Oniichan = older brother; Sano shortens it to 'niichan  
Taichou = captain  
Kenjutsu= swordsmanship 


	8. chapter 8a

Prism  
by Calger459  
Chapter 8a  
  
Conventions: *...* is emphasis, //...// is thoughts  
  
*Calger-san hands Battousai some water and a Prosac* Here, I think you'll be needing this; you go a bit nuts in this chapter. *Battousai glowers at authoress and wonders why she enjoys torturing him so* Because, you're really sexy and cool when you're angry. "Oh," he says, and considers the Prosac with interest. "Okay." Well, I amuse myself anyway. On with the fic! ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: Sony, you ask me to explain myself one more time and I'll sic not one but *three* Kenshins on you, so there! See, this is what happens when non-morning people have to get up at 6am for work every day. I'm sure you all feel my pain...  
  
~*~  
  
Kaoru and Kenshin left the Akabeko in quiet companionship, each lost in their own thoughts. In her mind Kaoru replayed the conversation in the restaurant over and over, trying to make sense of it. In particular she wondered about the insecurities Battousai had expressed concerning his health and fighting abilities. What exactly had he meant by those words? When Megumi had examined Kenshin after their return from Enishi's island she had said that as long as he took it easy for a few months, he should heal well. However, she had added, all of his long years of fighting were starting to catch up to him, and in four or five years he would be unable to use Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu. //That's pretty far in the future; he should still be able to fight now, especially since he's had so much time to heal. Right? // Kaoru hated the idea of him fighting at all; he'd already been through so much in his life, not to mention the horrific chaos that had characterized the previous year. Thinking it over Karou marveled that so much could happen in a person's life over the space of only six months. It was a testament to Kenshin's strength of spirit that he was able to endure so much and still smile at the end of it all.  
  
The hard truth was though that Kenshin was the best fighter among them, and Yanagi had come for *him*. It was almost unthinkable that Kenshin would not have to fight to win this. //And besides, he said that he should be able to compensate for the lack of ki. So what's he so worried about? // Kaoru glanced over at Kenshin. His expression was blank, his eyes unfocused, obviously lost in his own thoughts. Pressing gently on his arm she steered him back in the direction of the market. They still had groceries to shop for before they could return to the dojo. "Kenshin, did you think of anything else we needed at the market?"  
  
He blinked his eyes once and looked blankly at her. "What?"  
  
"Never mind." Kaoru shook her head and led them over to a vegetable stand. While she examined the daikon radishes Kenshin let his gaze wander over the market. He couldn't seem to get his mind to focus on any one train of thought; his thoughts were a chaotic swirl, and he could feel the accumulated stress of the past two days starting to get to him. Mostly he worried; before they'd left the Akabeko Kaoru had asked Tsubame to come over to the dojo that evening and to bring Megumi and Genzai-sensei with her. Kenshin had objected to more people knowing about the situation but Kaoru had insisted. "If you feel they are under threat, then they at least need to *know* that they are; if you keep them in the dark it will only lead to more problems." He'd agreed only reluctantly, his secretive nature crying out in protest. Deep down though he knew she was right; it was better that their friends knew they were in danger than to go blindly forward, foolishly hoping that nothing bad would happen to them. //I must stop repeating past mistakes, for the good of everyone. //  
  
"That is a lovely kimono! Where did you get it?"  
  
"Oh thank you, it's new, do you know where Hitomi-san's clothing shop is? She has a wonderful selection."   
  
Kenshin lifted his head on hearing the new voice, which was vaguely familiar. Looking over at his wife he took in the taller woman who had appeared at the stall, dressed in an old but still beautiful maroon kimono with green vine patterns trailing up the sleeves. He felt his eyes widen in shock and recognition. Her hair was different now, and the face was several years older, but nevertheless his excellent memory could never forget her. "Akari-dono?"  
  
The woman looked over at him and she stared for a full minute, obviously trying to put a name to his face. "How do you know my name? Wait...I've seen you before, with the red hair. I'm sorry, what was your name?"  
  
"Himura," he heard himself whisper, suddenly feeling very strange. "Himura Kenshin."  
  
Kaoru looked between them in confusion. "What? Kenshin, do you know her from somewhere?"  
  
Kenshin stared at the woman in front of him in disbelief. //Akari, from Hokkaido...it can't be a coincidence that she's here. She must be with Yanagi...// Suddenly, his mind's eye produced an image of Yanagi standing next to her, an arrogant smirk on his face. Kenshin felt the heat rise in his body and his hand fisted at his left side, instinctively searching for his sword. "Where is he?" he hissed in a cold voice.  
  
"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked in alarm, watching the hitokiri's mask rapidly overtake Kenshin's previous look of surprise. The amber eyes were burning with sudden fury and Kaoru felt herself take an instinctive step back from the hostility he was exuding. "Kenshin!"  
  
Akari too backed away, one hand going to her chest. "H-Himura-san? Who do you mean? What's wrong?"  
  
"You..." he snarled, taking a step toward her, his fists clenched tight. "If you're here, so is he! Where is Yanagi?"  
  
"Yanagi?" she asked faintly. "I don't know, he went to work this morning, I just came to the market to look around, why are you so angry? We haven't seen you in years!"  
  
"Kenshin, who is she?" Kaoru asked anxiously, trying to put herself between him and Akari. "Calm down, she hasn't done anything!"  
  
"Like hell!" he suddenly shouted, his eyes gleaming with an almost mad light. "Went to work where, doing what? Tell me where he is!"  
  
"Sir!" the shop owner barked, panic and anger mixed on his face. "Not in front of my store! If you keep assaulting this woman I will call on the police!"  
  
Kenshin couldn't hear the man's words over the roaring of blood in his ears. //Calm down! // He ordered himself desperately but he could feel his heart racing with anger, his vision going red. //Enemy! // His instincts screamed mindlessly. //Consort of the enemy! Catch her, question her, kill her, find Yanagi! // He fought against himself, against the building insanity in his mind. //What's happening to me? Kaoru! // He tried to look for his wife, to focus on her voice, but everything was centered on Akari and he felt himself take another deliberate step toward her, his mind and body running separately, his voice rising to a scream. "He will pay for this, do you understand? *Now where is he*?"  
  
~*~  
  
Shinta tossed the paper ball around the yard, careful to avoid the area where Yahiko was busily running through his forms. The rurouni and Sano sat side by side on the porch watching the young samurai, chatting amiably. The afternoon was wearing on and the sun's rays were slanted as they fell across the yard. Shinta watched his long shadow follow him in his run for the ball, the head tiny on the elongated body. It seemed to take forever to reach the ball, his short legs covering little ground as he ran. //I'm so small now. // He finally caught up with the toy, his chest heaving. He picked it up in his tiny hands, the short fingers barely able to grip to ball where before they would have wrapped completely around it. While this fact annoyed him slightly, most of him was thrilled at the opportunity to act like a little boy again, to play and laugh and enjoy life as he once had so many years ago, before cholera had claimed his family and plunged him into a world of death and despair. "Rurouni-san, I got it!" he yelled happily, running up to his adult self with the ball held high.   
  
"Aa, that you did." The rurouni replied with a warm smile. Taking the ball from the boy he tossed it again, grinning as the child took off after it.  
  
"He likes to play," Sano noted with amusement, leaning back against one of the roof posts. "He seems like a pretty happy kid."  
  
"I was once," Kenshin said softly. "A long time ago."  
  
"What happened?" Sano asked with interest. It was a blunt question, but since the rurouni was being so talkative Sano decided to take the rare opportunity to satisfy some of his curiosity about the older swordsman.  
  
Kenshin shrugged and watched Shinta catch the ball again, this time giving it a firm kick into the air with his foot. The afternoon breeze caught the toy and carried it toward them, the wind pushing the ball under the porch. Shinta ran over and gleefully plunged after it, crawling out of sight on his hands and knees. "I lost my family," the rurouni said, looking up into the sky. He didn't know quite why he was being so open and unguarded today, but it felt good to finally talk about these things with someone other than his master, who wasn't exactly the most sympathetic audience. "And before I met my master I was a slave. They came to my village to collect the survivors of the sickness. I was one of the only ones left."  
  
"You were Shinta's age?" Sano asked. //He really has been through hell in his life. // Sano wasn't surprised something like that had happened to a child though; he'd seen much worse things, both before he'd left his father's village and after he'd started traveling around after his taichou's death. Kenshin was actually quite lucky to have been taken in by slavers, despite the treatment he must have received there. Slaves at least were marginally fed and slept with a roof over their heads; many others during that time weren't so fortunate.  
  
"Younger, actually." Kenshin said. "Shinta is the same age I began sword training. It's strange, how Yanagi's technique manifested itself. Why three of us, and why did we split the way we did?"  
  
"More importantly, how do you get back to normal?" Sano straightened up against the pole. "This whole thing is just *wrong* Kenshin. No one should have to be going through this, especially you." Sano glanced over at his friend and was surprised by the rurouni's gentle smile.  
  
"Thank you, Sano."  
  
Sano blinked. "Uh...sure thing. For what?"   
  
The rurouni just smiled mysteriously in response and glanced down as Shinta scrambled out from beneath the porch, pushing the ball ahead of him. The child was reaching for it when he stiffened, his head snapping up alertly. The rurouni's eyes widened at the boy's odd behavior. "Shinta-kun?"  
  
Shinta got to his feet and stood perfectly still, only his head moving as he slowly swept his gaze around the yard. "Something's happening." The laughter had gone out of his voice and as he turned around Sano caught sight of his eyes. The former streetfighter felt a chill go up his spine at the sight of an adult's seriousness staring out through the child's large eyes. //Damn, that's creepy. // "Something's wrong, outside the dojo."  
  
"What do you mean?" Kenshin asked quietly, meeting the boy's gaze. Yahiko paused in his form and came over, noticing the change in conversation. "What's going on, guys?"  
  
"Battousai-san," Shinta said, his eyes wide and unfocused. "He's very angry. Something's happening to him."  
  
"What?!" Sano leapt to his feet. "Where at?"  
  
The child shook his head. "I don't know. Outside the dojo, not far from here." He paused for a second, his eyebrows rising in an expression of puzzled surprise. "He's so angry..."  
  
Sano looked over at Kenshin. "Do you think he found Yanagi?"  
  
Yahiko's eyes widened. "We'd better get there, then! Battousai'll kill him!"   
  
They were all surprised by the certainty in the boy's voice. Kenshin frowned slightly as he looked at the young swordsman. //Is that what he really thinks of the hitokiri? I suppose I can't blame him for seeing only the killer in Kenshin, what with the way that fool's been behaving. I should have spoken to Yahiko about this before now. That was foolish of me; Yahiko and his feelings should have been a priority. Even so...// "I fear you may be right, Yahiko."  
  
"What?" both Yahiko and Sano asked at the same time, identical looks of horror flashing across their faces. Apparently they hadn't expected the rurouni to actually acknowledge Battousai's very real threat.  
  
Shinta stamped his foot impatiently. "Rurouni-san, there's no time! We have to go *now*!" Turning on his heel the child took off for the dojo gate, moving with amazing speed. The others followed at a run.  
  
~*~  
  
"Which way, Shinta?" Sano was amazed at how fast the tiny kid could go. After leaving the dojo the child had turned immediately in the direction of the market. While it wasn't far away, the system of streets and alleys to get there was complicated and the many turns were slowing them down. Behind him he could hear Yahiko and Kenshin hurrying to keep up. Sano glanced over his shoulder at the rurouni, who was breathing very hard. //He doesn't look so good; a few months ago he would have been way ahead of all of us. What's wrong with him? // "This way!" Shinta shouted and Sano forced himself to look ahead. He yelled in shock when he found a wall looming in his path; jamming his feet into the dirt he had to slap the wall hard to keep from slamming into it. "Damn it!"  
  
"Come on, Sano!" Yahiko shouted as he zoomed past, the rurouni trailing behind him. The group picked up the pace as the sounds of the market grew louder. Shinta pulled further and further ahead, and as they reached the market he vanished from sight entirely. Sano started to let out a yell when he heard an anguished cry from behind him. Turning, he saw the rurouni collapsed against a wall, clutching one side of his chest, his face twisted in agony. Sano rushed to his side and had to grab onto Kenshin when he nearly fell.  
  
"Hey, what's wrong with you? Kenshin!"  
  
"Can't-run-Shinta-" Kenshin gasped painfully. "I'll come...in a minute...just go..."  
  
Sano shook his head. "No, whatever's gone wrong I'm sure we're going to need you to help fix it. Can you walk?"  
  
Kenshin nodded and the two moved slowly forward together, aware of the chaotic and alarmed sounds of the crowd ahead of them.  
  
~*~  
  
Kaoru felt herself on the verge of tears as she tried to hold Kenshin back from Akari. Her voice begging and insistent, she tried to reason with him but just as he had in his fights with Saitou and Jine, Battousai completely ignored her, his attention completely focused on the person he perceived as his enemy to the exclusion of all else. The look of absolute fright and confusion on Akari's face had convinced Kaoru that she was telling the truth about Yanagi and that she had no idea Kenshin had been living in Tokyo. As far as Kaoru had been able to figure out from Kenshin's ferocious questioning and Akari's terrified responses, the woman was Yanagi's girlfriend, or perhaps his wife. Kaoru couldn't be sure, and Kenshin's stubborn aggressiveness was starting to make her angry. "Kenshin, *stop it*! She doesn't know anything!"   
  
Kaoru stood between the two with arms outspread, trying unsuccessfully to block Kenshin's vision. The irate radish vendor was now threatening for the fourth time to summon the police. Kenshin's murderous glare was the only thing that kept the man in his stall. Unfortunately though, they had managed to attract a small crowd, and Kaoru knew it was only a matter of time before the police showed up on their own. //Oh yes that's all we need right now, to be arrested. What is *wrong* with him? // Never in her life had Karou imagined she would see her normally gentle and levelheaded Kenshin with such an enraged and *insane* look on his face, his amber eyes glowing like a demon's.   
  
Effectively frozen in place by that same terrifying glare, most of Akari's mind begged her to flee this madman, but a strange sense of curiosity kept her from making a serious effort to get out of the confrontation. His accusations, vague as they were, were starting to confirm the suspicions that had been building in her mind concerning Yanagi. What had he really been up to this past week, why had he been behaving so strangely, and what on earth had her husband done to make this man so angry? The last time she had seen Himura Kenshin was in Hokkaido, where he had been working at the same inn as Yanagi. Though she didn't know all the details of their relationship, she knew that Himura had saved Yanagi from being burned alive in a fire. Akari herself had only spoken to him once, the day after the fire, when she'd arrived at the inn to find Himura kneeling beside Yanagi's bandaged body, an unfathomable expression of sadness and regret in his strange gem-like eyes.  
  
Recalling the incident Akari realized that the man-boy really-before her bore little resemblance to the man in her memory. As she struggled to remember more of that time she recalled that his other features, aside from the hair and eyes, had been very distinctive. He'd had some sort of large scar on his face and he had definitely been older, at least Yanagi's age at that time. This Himura was the wrong age and had no scars on his face at all; he seemed more like Himura's younger brother than Himura himself. And his eyes...she definitely remembered that his eyes in Hokkaido had been violet, a very beautiful and rare shade of purplish blue, not amber like they were now. //I don't understand this; how could he really be Himura? Nothing he says makes sense. //   
  
By the look of it, his companion was just as confused as Akari. The small dark-haired woman was desperately trying to calm him down, even going so far as to put herself between him and Akari, but she was having no success. Ignoring her protests Himura took another menacing step forward, and Akari felt anger pierce through the wall of fear in her mind. Boldly, she took a step closer to him, straightening to her full height, at least five inches greater than his. "That's enough Himura-san! I told you, I don't know where my husband is right now. What has he done to offend you? I thought you and he parted on good terms in Hokkaido."  
  
The question seemed to fend off Battousai's anger a little bit, the fire in his eyes dimming a fraction. "We did," he spat, "But some time between then and now he seems to have changed his mind. You *must* tell me where he is!"  
  
"I will do no such thing until you calm yourself down and explain exactly what's going on here. Or do you really want the police to come and arrest you for making a disturbance?" Akari fully expected that statement to quell his anger, but to her astonishment it only seemed to make it worse. //Has he no control over himself? // she thought as he bared his teeth at her in a vicious snarl.  
  
"I have no time for this, woman! What he has done to me is unforgivable and-" he got no farther, because at that moment a rock came sailing through the crowd and struck him soundly in the back of the head.  
  
Battousai's vision exploded with starry light and he let out an anguished cry of pain and shock. Temporarily blind, he fell to his knees. Grabbing the back of his head he felt wet stickiness in his hair and knew the well-aimed missile had drawn blood. For a brief moment, crouched in the dirt of the street, he felt his unreasoning anger subside and the small part of his mind that was still rational cried out in relief. In that precious instant he fought for control over himself. //You're being irrational, // he explained patiently to the hitokiri raging in his soul. //If you calm down and gain her trust she just might take you where they're staying in Tokyo; you can find Yanagi and finally put this mess straight. There's nothing to be gained by this behavior; this is not the Bakumatsu, you can't get your way with terror and rage and violence. // Just as he felt himself responding to his own calming words, another stray thought shot through his mind, distracting his calm reasoning. //Who was the bastard who threw the rock?! //  
  
"Kenshin-san!" Shinta appeared from the crowd and slid to a halt in front of the hitokiri, gasping for breath. "I'm sorry, I didn't know what else to do!"  
  
"Sh-Shinta?" Kaoru's eyes widened as she realized it was the boy who threw the rock. It was a small stone, but it had been thrown with enough force to easily bring Battousai to his knees. She looked at the child with new respect. //He really is Kenshin inside that little body. No one else could have done something like that. //  
  
Battousai lifted his head to glare at the boy, anger swirling in his narrowed eyes. "What the hell are you doing here, you could have hurt me!"  
  
Shinta closed his eyes and concentrated hard on Battousai, trying to figure out what was going on in the teenager's mind. Battousai's emotions felt like ripples in a pond to him, the waves pushing against him with surprising force, as if he were standing up to his chest in water. The surge of murderous rage that had called him from the dojo had lessened but was still there, threatening at any moment to overtake the shaky center of peace in Battousai's mind. The child could sense the danger radiating from the hitokiri, and he feared for the people around them. Keeping his eyes closed, he took a few cautious steps forward. "I came to help you; your anger called me."  
  
"What are you babbling about?" Kenshin shrank away from the eerily calm child, suddenly afraid for no reason he could understand.  
  
"Who is this woman?" Shinta asked calmly. Kaoru watched their interaction in stunned amazement, fascinated despite herself. She wanted to get out of the market as soon as possible, but time for her had slowed to a crawl, the world focusing around the two parts of her husband before her. Shinta's presence was definitely having an effect on Battousai's demeanor; he edged backwards from the boy as if afraid of being too close to him, his anger seeming to wither with the child's approach.  
  
"She's Akari-dono, don't you remember?" Battousai whispered, a strange note in his voice.  
  
"So what?" Shinta countered calmly. His eyes were still closed as he reached out a steady hand to Battousai, his fingertips just brushing the teenager's forehead. "She is not our enemy."  
  
"She is his wife, she must have a part in this," Kenshin insisted desperately, now looking very small and childlike himself. "He is responsible for what happened, if it weren't for him I...I..." Kaoru almost couldn't believe her own eyes when she saw tears of panic and fear shimmering faintly in Battousai's wide eyes. "I wouldn't be..."  
  
"I know you suffer," Shinta said gently, "but you aren't alone in this; let us help you."  
  
Swallowing her own nervousness and confusion Karou knelt down beside Kenshin, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Are you all right now? Let's go, please, before something else-"  
  
"Himura-san."   
  
Battousai stiffened at Akari's voice. "Please, if this has something to do with my husband then I'd like to..." her voice trailed off at the sight of three people pushing their way through the crowd. One was a young dark-haired boy, who was trotting toward them with a worried expression on his face. Next to the boy, leaning on the arm of a very tall man dressed in white, was none other than Himura Kenshin, looking exactly as she remembered him, scars and all. He appeared to be in pain as he walked, obviously depending on the tall man for support. Some people in the crowd began to whisper in confusion at seeing three red-haired people in one place, all of whom looked alike, but the tall man silenced them with a glare.   
  
"Show's over people, we've got things under control now, just get going. You heard me." The crowd slowly dispersed and the three came over to their group.  
  
Akari suddenly felt faint with disbelief as she watched Himura kneel down beside the teenager on the ground, whispering something quietly to him. Suddenly, the boy gave an angry shout and leapt to his feet, turning a furious glare on Akari. "Damn it, she's the key to this, I'm not letting her go now!"  
  
"Kenshin-san!" Whatever it was the rurouni had said it had effectively undone the fragile peace Shinta had managed to establish in the hitokiri's mind, and he couldn't hold back a cry of frustration and dismay. Battousai's rage crashed against him with the fury of a storm and he knew that if the older boy decided to attack, there was nothing he or anyone else could do about it. "Rurouni-san!"  
  
Kenshin's lips were set in a thin frown as he carefully observed the hitokiri. Battousai's eyes were glazed and maddened, his temper clearly having consumed any sense of reason the boy had left. There was only one way the rurouni could think of to bring his younger self under control. Ignoring the painful stitch in his chest brought on by his breakneck run through the market, Kenshin brought up his fist and with the speed of a master swordsman he brought it down hard across the hitokiri's temple, with just enough force to knock him out but not seriously harm him.  
  
There was a collective gasp from all assembled as the rurouni's fist moved in a barely visible blur. Battousai jerked slightly at the blow, staggered and then collapsed into the rurouni's arms, unconscious. "Kenshin," Kaoru whispered, not sure which of the three she was addressing.  
  
The rurouni gently gathered the teenager into his arms and stood, cradling Battousai to his chest. "I'm sorry," he whispered to the boy, staring at him with regret in his eyes. "There was no other way."   
  
There was perfect silence in their small circle, everyone stunned beyond words by the sight. Akari's voice seemed loud in the sphere of quiet, though she spoke in a whisper. "Himura-san, what has my husband done to you? What has he been *doing*?!" Her voice broke slightly and it took all her will to remain calm. This was just too bizarre, and she couldn't shake off the distinct feeling that the three red-haired people before her were in fact the same man. The thought was insane, but she couldn't banish it from her mind.  
  
The rurouni looked over at her, studying her face with a stoic calm that stood in stark contrast to Battousai's fury. "Come with us, Akari-dono, and I will explain everything."  
  
TBC....  
  
A/N: Ahh I'm so evil, my profuse apologies for the cutoff but there's so much going on plotwise in this section it just got too long and I had to split it. 8b is outlined but not written yet. Gomen nasai!! *bows low* Hmm it's odd, this is the first time encountering a situation in my writing where I would find it necessary to make and "A" and "B" of a chapter; it just felt right somehow the way the plot was heading. In any event, I promise the hitokiri will go hunting for (and find) Yanagi and it will be really cool, I swear it! There will be chapters beyond 8, I've outlined the rest of the story and my estimated chapter count is 12 with an epilogue...but that could very well change -_-;; As for 8b, we'll finally get to see Megumi, as well as assorted other people. For those who were wondering (because some have asked about this in their reviews) I currently have no plans to bring in the Kyoto group for this fic (i.e. Misao, Aoshi and company). They just don't have place in my plotline; sorry guys, but this is a Tokyo-gumi fic for now, hope that doesn't disappoint too many people. LOL well anyways, I'm trying to fit writing in as best I can around my work schedule, hopefully I'll be able to keep up a fairly steady pace on chapters, look for one every 2 weeks or so (maybe 3 if I get really bogged down). I have so much still planned for this fic, I hope you enjoying reading it as much as I do writing it! See you for part 8b!  
Lexa: Actually, they *are* fascinated by RK. Last year I taught the sixth graders how to draw manga-style and I brought in my RK and Sailor Moon manga to show them. They really loved it! There were asking me all kinds of questions about Kenshin and why he has the scar and the story of RK, so I did my little part to spread the word of anime, and got some halfway decent manga drawings out of them to boot ^_^   
*New picture!!* I made an underkimono and a yukata with a matching bag and I wore it with hakama (bought off Ebay) to this year's Ohio Renaissance Festival. Take a look! The sword is a real katana (Chinese-made, but it's a real blade) I bought at Renfest last year. Yeah so I was technically cross-dressing-so sue me :P Enjoy! http://www.flame.org/~calger/anime/hakamagi.jpg 


	9. chapter 8b

Prism  
by Calger459  
Chapter 8b  
  
Conventions: *...* is emphasis, //...// is thoughts   
  
I can't tell you how much all your reviews mean to me; thank you so much for the support! I spent over half a year wanting to write this fic but I wasn't sure if anyone would read it...you all proved me wrong ^_^ Here it is, the second half of the plot!  
  
Disclaimer: *sigh* Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Sony and Nobuhiro Watsuki...and we all know Watsuki-sensei's a hopeless fanboy so he probably wouldn't care how much fanfiction is written about his characters, in fact he'd probably read it! *gets off soapbox* As for Sony, I'm not making any profit, K?   
  
~*~  
  
The party walked in silence back to the dojo. Sano tried once to carry Battousai for Kenshin, but the rurouni warned him off with a glare. It was clear that the rurouni, who so far had been very laid-back and gentle, was furious with his younger self, and no one dared pierce the wall of silence that surrounded the pair. Kaoru trailed behind her husband with her head bowed, her normally carefree face showing the strain of that afternoon's events. She stared at her sandals as she walked and honestly wondered where things were going to go from here. Behind them walked Akari, wife of their current enemy, and no one was sure how Kenshin intended to explain to her what her husband had done. //The others should be here soon as well...what are we going to tell *them*? This just keeps getting worse and worse. //  
  
Kaoru lifted her head and focused on Shinta, who was trotting beside the rurouni, trying his best to keep up. That was when she noticed it: a slight darkness on the back of his head. There was something matted in his hair, and as she looked closer she realized with shock that it was dried blood. //Blood? But he didn't get hit with anything... // The blood was in the same place Battousai had been struck with the rock. Eyes widening Kaoru looked at the rurouni's head and saw a little bit of blood there as well, in the same place. //What in the world? //  
  
"Sano." Kenshin waited for his friend to open the gate, then led the party inside. Without a word he carried Battousai to the couple's room, Sano opening doors for him as he went. Kaoru wondered why Sano was being so helpful for a change, but she could sense that something was different between him and the rurouni. They seemed to have a certain companionship they hadn't had that morning when she'd left. Curious, Kaoru wondered what they had discussed while she was gone. //Maybe I can ask Kenshin...later. //   
  
Shinta followed close behind his older self, his expression anxious. Inside the room the rurouni carefully lay Battousai on a futon, draping a blanket over him with surprising tenderness given his angry expression. The rurouni stood and studied the boy's sleeping face, which seemed deceptively young and innocent. "Let's go into the dining room," he said quietly to the group standing behind him. "Kaoru, would you make some tea, please?"  
  
"...Hai."  
  
~*~  
  
Akari sat on one side of the table, feeling very isolated from the group of strangers sitting across from her. They seemed like a united front of judges, ready to sentence her for a crime she didn't even know had been committed, and the evidence they had just finished presenting was nothing short of pure insanity. "Impossible," she whispered, staring into the rurouni's face. "That's impossible! You can't split people apart like that, there's no way! That boy in there-" she pointed in the direction of the bedrooms "-he must be your brother or something, and this child is probably your son! How can you sit there and tell me that you are all one in the same and that my Yanagi is responsible, it's nonsense!"  
  
Sano and Kaoru exchanged glances behind the rurouni's back. Her reaction was just as they expected, and they wondered how Kenshin was going to convince her otherwise.  
  
"Trust me Akari-dono," he said quietly, "two days ago I would have agreed with you completely. Ki is a mysterious thing, even to those who know how to sense and use it. However, never have I heard of it being used to physically separate someone's very soul. I'm not sure where Yanagi acquired such knowledge, but it is very dangerous and he must be stopped before he tries this on someone else. As you have seen, my other self is unstable and dangerous. I don't know what's going to become of him if Yanagi refuses to restore us to the way we were. I realize how this must sound to you, but I'm not sure what other proof I can offer besides my word that this is the truth."  
  
Akari looked at Kaoru, still skeptical. "And you believe this?"  
  
"We all do," Kaoru said with conviction, "because we saw it for ourselves, and we know our Kenshin. He has no family besides us, and he and I have no children of our own. Besides which, he is a terrible liar, you'd know it if he was making all this up."  
  
"Oro?"  
  
Sano chuckled. "She's got a point, Kenshin. You're pretty good at leaving stuff out when you want to hide something, but there's a reason you weren't a spy, ne?"  
  
Kenshin smiled slightly at that. "Aa, I suppose you're right."  
  
Akari met Shinta's gaze and was surprised by the child's very serious expression, so similar to the older Himura's. "What about you? What do you think of all this?"  
  
Shinta smiled. "It's been nice to be a child again, but I want to be back with Rurouni-san and Battousai-san. We belong together. I am not a whole person, you see; I'm just one part of Himura Kenshin's personality."  
  
Akari stared, stunned by the child's sophisticated speech. "Children...don't often lie about these things, do they?"  
  
"No," Shinta agreed, "they don't." He opened his mouth in a wide yawn. "I'm really tired now though."  
  
Akari smiled; the child, whatever his true age, was simply adorable. "Well you did save me from that other boy, didn't you? Go ahead and sleep." Shinta nodded with a smile and curled up on the floor next the rurouni. He was asleep almost immediately.  
  
"He's had a long day," the rurouni said, his tone affectionate.  
  
"We all have," Akari agreed. The table waited as she sat for a moment, obviously thinking. "My Yanagi did this," she whispered finally, still slightly unbelieving. "How is this possible, Himura-san? I don't really know much about the martial arts."  
  
He sighed. "I'm afraid that I can't really answer that, because I don't know myself. I'll just say that when I knew your husband in Hokkaido he was already fairly skilled with ki, though he was only able to manipulate his own. His strength has increased tremendously then; obviously he has kept his training secret from you, and in secret found a way to split another's ki into separate parts. Has he never given you a sign or reason to believe that anything unusual was going on, Akari-dono?"  
  
Akari debated with herself, trying to decide whether she should say anything or not. She was loyal to her husband, but if what Himura said was true, then Yanagi had done something truly terrible, even....evil. In that case, she had an obligation to put a stop to his behavior. //Sakura-san spoke so highly of Himura in Hokkaido, and he seems like a very honest person. My heart says to believe him...and there does seem to be something odd going on with Yanagi. I will trust Himura, for now. // "Yanagi," she began, "hasn't been quite himself lately. Actually, he's been behaving strangely for long time...over a year at least." Everyone in the room straightened up at her words. //Finally, the information we need! // Kaoru thought in relief.  
  
"We came here a week ago," Akari continued. "My husband works in business, mostly with gaijin merchants. It shouldn't be such taxing work for someone like him but lately he's been very tired and irritable when he comes back, and the things he says are just...strange."  
  
"Like what?" Kenshin asked.  
  
Akari opened her mouth to answer when there was a loud knocking at the gate. Yahiko jumped up and ran to open it. "Friends of ours," Kaoru answered both Kenshin and Akari's questioning looks. "We felt they needed to know what was going on."  
  
"Who decided that?" Kenshin asked, his tone slightly annoyed.  
  
"I did," Kaoru said firmly, challenging Kenshin with her glare. He frowned but didn't argue further.  
  
"Ken-san!" Megumi rushed into the room and immediately knelt by the rurouni's side. "Tsubame-chan said something had happened to you, are you all right?"  
  
"Well, I..."  
  
Akari blinked at the sudden appearance of the tall woman doctor and felt a bit overwhelmed as Yahiko reappeared, followed by an elderly man in a doctor's smock and a young girl dressed in a waitress's kimono. A bewildering flurry of greetings and introductions followed, with Kaoru trying to get the three newcomers settled with some tea while also trying to calm Megumi.  
  
"Well Tsubame-chan said there was an emergency..."  
  
"How could you have gotten hurt in the market, didn't you take care of your wounds like I told you to?"  
  
"Kaoru-san, Kenshin-san looks normal again, what's going on?"  
  
"Everyone, *enough*!"  
  
The room froze at Kenshin's firm command. Sano's eyes widened as everyone immediately stopped talking and sat without further comment, all attention now focused on the rurouni. Kenshin wore an air of authority about him that had impressed Sanosuke from the moment he'd first met the swordsman. He remembered always wondering how exactly it was that Kenshin didn't get more flack from his enemies about his small size and delicate features; it was only after seeing Kenshin in situation after situation that he finally figured out what it was. It was undeniable; there was just *something* about Kenshin that gave him incredible charisma. When he spoke, you listened. When he had something to say, the rest of the world stopped until he was finished. It never ceased to amaze him.  
  
Kenshin stood and moved aside so everyone could see Shinta lying curled up in the floor. Megumi let out a small sound of shock and put a hand to her mouth, mentally denying what her eyes told her. Tsubame and Genzai-sensei wore similar expressions. "A lot has happened everyone, and there isn't much time, so please listen carefully."  
  
~*~  
  
Battousai came to slowly. The first thing he was aware of was an intense throbbing across his entire head. He was well acquainted with blows to the head and he recognized the pain he was feeling; it could be nothing else, although he couldn't quite remember how he had gotten knocked out. He remembered being struck with Shinta's rock and the strange conversation afterward, but then his temper had finally flown completely out of control and he recalled nothing after that. //Where am I now? //  
  
Forcing his aching eyes to focus Kenshin recognized the familiar ceiling of the dojo and knew he was back home. There was a soft futon under him and a blanket draped across his body. While part of him wanted to get up and find out what had happened between the market and the dojo, the rest him wanted very much to stay right where he was; here in this room it was warm and safe and quiet, and the terrifying rage he'd experienced at the market was gone, leaving him drained and exhausted. He laid there for several long moments, staring blankly at the wall, almost afraid to breathe lest his brain decide to fall apart without his permission again. //I couldn't stop myself when I saw her, I couldn't control my words or my actions. What kind of monster am I? // He closed his eyes tightly and tried to stop his feeling of self-loathing, but the emotion was persistent, and depressingly familiar. //For so long I existed like this, hating myself and everything that I was, not even caring whether I lived or died. Kaoru and I were so happy, why did this have to happen? // He felt tears of frustration sting his eyes and his mind produced an image from his memory, of Yanagi reaching for his head, of his world tearing apart. //Bastard. That's what he is. It's his fault, all of it! // He remembered Kaoru's tear-streaked face in the market, scared and angry and upset, all because of him and what Yanagi had done to him. //I made her cry but that wouldn't have happened if he hadn't crossed every line of morality and decency that exists...//  
  
His thoughts starting to cycle angrily from Yanagi to himself and back to Yanagi again, Battousai slowly sat up and carefully felt the back of his head, wincing when his fingers found the wound where the rock had struck. //Even this is his fault, isn't it? Without the rurouni I'm lost, with no self-control. How dare he think he could just separate us on a whim? Goddamn bastard. // He became aware of voices drifting down the hallway, familiar voices: Kaoru, Sano, Yahiko, Megumi...and Akari. His eyes widened. //So she's here as well. Why? //  
  
Getting to his feet Battousai left the room and crept stealthily down the hallway, his body's pain and exhaustion fading as he slipped easily into the mindset of the shadow assassin: swift, silent, invisible, and above all, focused. "...Western quarter," Akari was saying, "the 'Emperor Hotel', that's what the gaijins call it. I don't know how long we're staying in Tokyo, but if the real reason he brought us here was because of you..."  
  
Battousai didn't need to hear anything else. He would go find Yanagi right now, without the squeamish peace-drunk rurouni slowing him down with his ridiculous non-killing morals. The mistake with Tomoe was extremely regrettable, and he understood the reasons behind the non-killing vow, but he wasn't as optimistic and naïve as the rurouni. //Enemies keep returning from the past because we have been too cowardly to deal with them effectively. I won't put Kaoru and the others in danger anymore; if that means I must eventually kill Yanagi to keep him from hurting anyone else, so be it. // Gliding back to his room Kenshin spotted the Sakabatou propped in an ornate sword stand, a New Year's gift from Kaoru. He hesitated only a moment before picking the sword up and tucking it through his belt.  
  
With the whisper-soft sound of a shoji door sliding open and shut, Battousai was gone, a shadow in the night.  
  
~*~  
  
The rurouni sat patiently as Megumi examined him, checking his chest and joints. She frowned slightly as she held out one wrist to check his pulse. "Well Ken-san, I'll tell you the good news first. First of all, you're not dying or anything; this 'separation' or whatever you underwent doesn't seem to have done lasting damage. You simply pulled a few muscles in your chest running today, that's all. However, while everyone else here seems to think you're immortal, you and I know differently. Your joints are already starting to fail you, and you've also gotten a bit out of shape since last year, which means your problems are going to get worse, not better."   
  
"You told me to rest," he protested indignantly, though he knew she was right. "For once I did what you told me to!"  
  
Megumi sighed and dropped his hand. "And I appreciate that, now if only Rooster-head here would do the same."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Megumi sniffed. "Well it's the truth. The only reason you can even use that right hand of yours is because of my incomparable skills! Now, where is this other Ken-san at?"  
  
"In our bedroom," Kaoru said quietly.  
  
"And you say he's injured?"  
  
Kaoru nodded and stood. The two women walked down the dark hallway together, talking quietly. Sano watched them go before turning his attention to Tsubame and Genzai-sensei. "Well she's taking this in stride, how about you two?"  
  
"Kenshin-san," Tsubame whispered, "I'm so sorry this happened! I would never have believed it if I hadn't seen the other Kenshin-san today... it's such an awful thing."  
  
"It is Tsubame-chan, but I appreciate Himura-san telling us this." Genzai-sensei had seen much of the man who was formerly known as the Hitokiri Battousai since his arrival a year ago, and he had come to genuinely like the young man. Himura's first action had been to save his adopted daughter's life, and since then he had proven his worth in the old man's eyes again and again. The gentleness and love he showed toward his granddaughters Ayame and Suzame to him spoke far more about the true nature of Himura Kenshin than all the bloody tales of Battousai. "I know you will keep us safe no matter what happens Himura-san, and I will be on alert for this Yanagi fellow. I agree with Kaoru-chan; it is better to know and understand a threat than to exist in ignorance of danger."  
  
Kenshin nodded in agreement. He hadn't been surprised when Kaoru had told him Battousai had objected to telling everyone about the situation. Secrecy would have been his first reaction as well. His habits from the Bakumatsu, a time when a word to the wrong ear often led to betrayal and death, were hard to break, even all these years later.  
  
He looked up at Akari. "Akari-dono, now that you know this, what do you want to do? I cannot ask you to help us with Yanagi, but it would much easier if you did. He *must* be convinced to restore us, by force if necessary. My younger self is growing more agitated and irrational by the day, and there is little I can do to help him. We can't stay like this for much longer."  
  
"I understand...but I can't just go against my husband, not without talking to him first. Himura-san, I think I should go back and try to confront him. If I can get him to come here willingly..."  
  
"Kenshin!" Kaoru and Megumi came running into the room. "He's gone!"  
  
Those two words sent Kenshin's heart into his throat, icy panic shooting up his spine. "W-what?"  
  
"Shit!" Sano jumped up. "Dammit, I knew we shouldn't have left him alone in there!"  
  
"That idiot." Kenshin whispered, appalled at his own stupidity. "He went to find Yanagi on his own."  
  
There was horrified silence from everyone in the room; they all had a fairly good idea of what the rurouni had meant by that statement. "There's something else, Kenshin. He took the Sakabatou with him."  
  
~*~  
  
Yanagi read the note Akari had left on the bed for the hundredth time, looking angrily up at the clock. "I went to the market to look around, maybe this way I can help you with your research, I'll be back by 6:00, Akari" he read aloud. He checked the clock again, letting out a hiss of frustrated worry. "It's past eight, where the hell is she?"  
  
Yanagi stood and went to the window, staring out at the street lit dimly by gaslight. No sign of her. His chest tightened with genuine worry. //She shouldn't have gone out on her own like that. This city isn't safe at night...// Gritting his teeth, he left the room to check the street below for himself.  
  
~*~  
  
Sano sighed in frustration. Getting Kenshin to stay put in a situation like this was like trying to prevent a member of the Shinsengumi from killing an Ishin Shishi. He was seriously beginning to wonder if he was going to have to tie the rurouni up. "Look, I'll go get him, all right? Someone needs to be here for Jou-chan and to watch out for that Akari woman, besides you hurt yourself today."  
  
"I'm fine!" the rurouni insisted, clenching his fists at his sides in frustration. "Sano, let me deal with him!"  
  
"Look no offense, but every time you try to 'deal with him', things just get worse! It would be better if I went, is all I'm saying. I'm not going to try and fight him, I'm not that stupid, but someone needs to make sure he doesn't go and lop that fool's head off."  
  
"If Battousai needs to be stopped then I'm the one with the skills to do it, Sano."  
  
"Don't underestimate me. I've got skills too, buddy. Besides I can run faster."  
  
"Oh really."  
  
"I'm taller, longer legs equals bigger stride."  
  
Kaoru sighed and stepped in front of Kenshin, pushing down firmly on his shoulders. "Sit."  
  
"But..."  
  
"*Sit*. Sano, just go. Good luck."  
  
"Yes ma'am!"   
  
Kenshin glared at his wife, but made no move to follow Sano. "This is a mistake, Kaoru. Sano is strong, but Battousai is stronger."  
  
"Oh have a little faith, Ken-san!" Megumi snapped. "Trust in Sanosuke."  
  
That alone gave Kenshin pause. Megumi almost never called the former streetfighter by his real name; the significance wasn't lost on him. Reluctantly, he nodded. "All right."  
  
~*~  
  
Battousai sped through the night, the weight of the sword at his hip giving him a confidence he hadn't felt in three long days. He felt more stable and secure with the weapon at his side, his mind fully focused on his mission, his maddening temper temporarily banished. Was that why his body felt so strong now, despite everything that had happened? //Stability of the mind brings strength of the body. That's what Shishou always said. //   
  
Turning a corner easily at full speed, Kenshin reveled in his renewed power. Only hours after the separation from the others he'd noticed a significant increase in his strength and flexibility; he'd been able to leap several feet from the ground to the bathhouse roof and pull off a Tsumuji attack virtually without effort, just as he had been able to do in his hitokiri days. //The lack of ki is a problem, but physically this body seems to be stronger than the rurouni's. It's as if I really were sixteen again. //  
  
He changed from the streets to the roofs in a few easy leaps. In Kyoto this had been one of the most efficient means of travel, and he had been one of the few hitokiri skilled enough to use it. Up here he truly was invisible from those on the ground, a shadow racing along the spines of roofs and leaping between buildings in long, graceful arcs. This was one of the specialties of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu: strength of the legs and body gave the swordsman superior swiftness and grace, so he could move as easily as a flying dragon.   
  
Truthfully, Kenshin was almost afraid of how easily he was resuming old habits. Old instincts of sight and sound resurfaced as he approached the Western quarter of Tokyo, which lay a fair distance from the dojo. Pausing on a rooftop to catch his breath, Battousai surveyed the area with keen eyes. Just as in Bakumatsu, he was the hunter tracking his prey, and nothing escaped his notice. The crowds were sparse this time of night, most people having returned home before sundown. His quarry would be easy to spot if he happened to be outside. "The Emperor Hotel," he murmured to himself. Scanning the Western-style buildings before him he chose a route and began his search, constantly checking the streets below as he moved.  
  
~*~  
  
Sano ran faster that night than he had ever run before, taking every shortcut he knew to reach the Western quarter before Battousai found Yanagi. He couldn't shake off a bad feeling about all this, and he bent his head into the wind, forcing himself to run even faster. //Damn it, the guy's fast as a hare with wings and he has a good head start on me. // He wondered if he really would be too late, but Akari had given him precise directions to the hotel, which was more than Battousai had. No matter what though, Sano was determined to help his friend. If the hitokiri snapped and killed Yanagi, then not only would Kenshin's vow be broken but it was likely that Kenshin would trapped in three bodies forever. It had been a full three days now, and it was becoming obvious that all three parts of Kenshin were suffering. //The rurouni and Shinta seem to be okay when you look at them, but Kenshin keeps getting more depressed and Shinta's not smiling much anymore. What if they eventually fall apart like Battousai? // He pushed the unpleasant thought away and put on another burst of speed, thanking the gods for his height and light build. He could already see the gaslights of the Western quarter and knew he was almost there. //Kenshin, don't you dare do anything dumb! //  
  
~*~  
  
Yanagi paced anxiously outside the hotel entrance, disturbed by the eerie quiet of the street. The spring night was cold and he shivered inside his thin Western suit. Where was Akari? The thought of losing her now terrified him, and he frantically cast his senses about for her. His mind felt a presence nearby and he stopped in his pacing, looking up hopefully. A short figure had appeared at the end of the street, shrouded in darkness. His mouth went dry as he realized that it wasn't Akari, but someone equally familiar and far more terrifying. "No..." he whispered.  
  
The figure approached on silent feet, and the menacing aura that surrounded him caused Yanagi to step back a few paces. "So this is where you've been going to ground, Yanagi. Really, you should downgrade your tastes a bit, you were far too easy to find."  
  
Battousai stepped into the pool of light that surrounded the hotel doorway and Yanagi allowed himself a small gasp of surprise. He had been expecting to see a man his age, maybe with a hardened face to match the steely tones of that voice. He certainly hadn't expected Battousai to be so young and eerily beautiful, his eyes molten gold in the lamp's light. He was dressed in an expensive-looking gi of emerald green silk and hakama, which must have once been white but were now stained brown with street dust. Yanagi noted the sword at Himura's waist with apprehension, and wondered if Battousai could tell he was unarmed.  
//Of course he can, he's a hitokiri. I should have suspected he would find me like this. I have to be confident in front of him; I can't appear weak. Even so, there is a night guard inside. Himura can't do anything to me. // Yanagi squared his shoulders and glared down at Battousai from his slightly superior height. "What have you done with Akari?"  
  
Battousai cocked his head and studied Yanagi with predatory eyes. "Whatever do you mean by that?"  
  
"Don't screw around with me Himura, how else could you have found me? I thought you were a man of honor, I can't believe you would use her to get to me."  
  
Battousai actually laughed, a dry sound that made Yanagi's skin crawl. There was something very wrong with that laugh, and with the strange gleam in the hitokiri's eyes. "Are you a complete fool, or are you so full of yourself that you actually believe you're somehow in the right here? Don't preach to me about honor and morality when you've done far worse than any crime I ever committed as a hitokiri."  
  
Yangai bristled at being compared to a murderer like Battousai, but he refused to be distracted by insults. "Where is my wife?" Yanagi asked again, his voice a low growl.  
  
"Safe," Battousai replied simply. "She came to us through accident, actually. I'm not one for kidnapping, and if I know my other selves they've probably already filled her in on your little hobby. It's over Yanagi, you've had your fun so give up this game and restore us to the way we were."  
  
Kenshin faintly heard the sound of running feet coming from one of the side alleys, and out of the corner of his eye he saw a tall form stumble to a halt and lean heavily against a wall, out of breath. //Sano. Figures. // Battousai chose to ignore him for the moment, instead refocusing on Yanagi, who had a strangely bemused look on his face.   
  
Still trying to catch his breath, Sano looked up at the two figure standing in a pool of yellow light. He was genuinely surprised to see Battousai standing there calmly, speaking to Yanagi in fairly rational tones. He had honestly expected to come upon the hitokiri screaming and raving the way he had been at the market earlier in the day, or at least waving his sword about. He wasn't quite sure what to make of this strangely calm Kenshin, who spoke to his enemy with such quiet authority.  
  
A thin, wry smile appeared on Yanagi's face and he casually wrapped his arms behind his back. "Sorry, can't do that."  
  
Battousai's eyes narrowed to thin golden slits, his left hand tensing around the hilt of the sword. "I don't think you're understanding me, Yanagi. This is not a request. Do you have any idea of the kind of hell you've put me through? Enough is enough, you got to test your precious little technique, now do as I say."  
  
Yanagi actually snickered and grinned. "What makes you think I even know how to put you together? I have no idea."  
  
"What?" Battousai could feel anger starting to eat away at his icy shell of his rationality, like flame licking against a wall of ice. //Oh Gods, not again. //  
  
"Haven't a clue. You're only the second person I've used this on, Himura, and the other one didn't live long enough to ask me something like that. There is no counter-technique. Sorry to disappoint you. So you ended up splitting into three, right? I saw the little kid earlier, I'll have to meet the third one at some point."  
  
Kenshin balked at him. "What the hell is wrong with you? Is this still a game to you? I will not be the subject of some experiment, and I won't allow you to roam free where you can use this technique on someone else. You will answer for tearing my soul apart!"  
  
Yanagi threw his head back and laughed, and Sano's eyes widened as he realized the man was completely insane. Battousai was starting to look incensed, and Sano tensed, ready to rush in if the hitokiri attacked. "You won't hurt me Himura, you've got that silly non-killing vow of yours! Besides there's a guard right inside the door, if you try anything you-"  
  
Battousai moved so fast Sano saw only a blur of green and white. The hitokiri rushed Yanagi in complete silence, grabbing the front of the man's suit and pulling him out into the darkness of the street. The two men vanished from sight and for a heartbeat Sano stood frozen. He had boasted to the rurouni, but really the idea of taking on Battousai was terrifying. Kenshin had twice before beaten Sano easily, and both times the diminutive swordsman had been holding back. The hitokiri wouldn't be so merciful. // But I can't let Kenshin break his vow. It would destroy him, I know it. No matter what happens to me, I have to stop him! //  
  
Battousai flew to the far side of the street and flung the stunned Yanagi hard against the brick wall of another building, knocking the wind out of him. A sharp ringing of steel was the only warning Yanagi had before he felt a blade being pressed against his jugular, Battousai's golden eyes studying him with cool detachment. Behind the flatness of the hitokiri's gaze though, Yanagi could see a burning of amber fire, and knew he'd crossed the line. "You know Yanagi, it's funny thing about vows and rules and all that: they can be broken so easily. And what can't be broken can certainly be bent. Remember that I don't have to kill you to make you suffer."  
  
"Kenshin!" Shoving aside his own fear and throwing caution to the wind, Sano ran right up to Battousai and grabbed his shoulder, trying to wrench the sword away from Yanagi's neck. To his alarm, Battousai's body was like a statue, completely immovable. The hitokiri turned his head and Sano met the other's frightening gaze for only an instant before a vicious kick to his gut sent him flying back against the neighboring building. The young man couldn't even cry out as he felt his lunch trying to come back up his throat. Huddling against the wall with his hand to his mouth, he stared at Kenshin in mingled shock and fury.  
  
"I do not wish to hurt you, so stay out of this Sanosuke." Battousai slid his gaze calmly back to Yanagi, who was visibly shaking under his iron grip. "You underestimated me again Yanagi, how unfortunate for you."  
  
Yanagi stared into the assassin's eyes in horror. //I didn't release a hitokiri, I released a demon! // "You're mad," he whispered.   
  
Battousai lifted an ironic eyebrow. "You and I both share a kind of madness, Yanagi. The madness of the hitokiri and the madness of one who has no hesitation about using the lives of others for his own amusement are not all that dissimilar. Now come with me peacefully and let's put an end to this."  
  
"I don't have a counter-technique!" Yanagi hissed, starting to panic. He pushed hard against Kenshin's arms. "I can't help you!"  
  
"Then your usefulness has ended," the hitokiri said with deadly logic, tightening his grip on the hilt in preparation to strike.  
  
Sano forced himself to his feet. "Kenshin, NO!"   
  
Yanagi's fear suddenly gave way to a mad grin. "I don't give up that easily, hitokiri!" Yanagi screamed and Kenshin was suddenly hit with a tremendous blast of ki, which emanated from the other's body in waves so powerful the air actually shimmered with it. Battousai flew back with a cry, carried off his feet by the force of the blast, and landed hard on his back, knocking the wind out of him. Kenshin could hear the pounding of Yanagi's feet as the man fled into the night, and he cursed his stupidity. He had allowed himself to grow overconfident, and for a precious few moments he'd forgotten that Yanagi possessed a full range of ki techniques, offense included. "Dammit," he whispered, before painfully climbing to his feet. //I was so close! // Without the ability to read ki had had no way of tracking Yanagi now. He glanced over at Sano who was standing there glaring at him furiously. "Did you see which way he went?"  
  
"I'm not telling you anything, first you try to kill someone then you attack me! You think I trust you right now?"  
Kenshin stood and leveled an icy glare at Sano. "Is that why you followed me?"  
  
"Damn straight, I knew you would try something like this, and so did the rurouni! What the hell did you think you were doing acting on your own like that?"  
  
"I really don't see how it's your business how I deal with my enemies, Sanosuke. The rurouni will not act effectively against Yanagi, he cannot. He would rather Yanagi come to him willingly, and I knew that belief was foolish. I had no other choice."  
  
"Like hell you didn't!"  
  
Battousai sighed at the man's ignorance and re-sheathed the Sakabatou. He turned and began to walk back in the direction of the dojo.  
  
Sano felt something inside him snap. "Don't you walk away from me, dammit! Kenshin worked hard to keep that vow, and you almost broke it! Don't you care about anyone or anything besides yourself? You're nothing like the Kenshin I know, you arrogant asshole!"  
  
Battousai paused and looked back over his shoulder at Sano. The expression in his eyes was unreadable. "Don't presume to understand me, Sanosuke, when I do not even understand myself. Let's return to the dojo now."  
  
Kenshin turned and kept walking. Sano trailed a respectful distance behind, his thoughts and feelings confused.  
  
~*~  
  
Battousai slid open the shoji door that led to his and Kaoru's room and allowed bright moonlight to spill inside. He wasn't surprised to see the rurouni kneeling on the floor, waiting for him. The two Kenshins locked gazes for a moment, each trying to read the other. Breaking eye contact Battousai stepped inside, turning his back to the rurouni as he slid the door shut.  
  
"I want an explanation."  
  
There was a long silence. Battousai did not move from the shoji door. "I'm sorry," he said at last.  
  
"'I'm sorry'? That's all you have to say? Unacceptable. What you did was nothing short of insane; you may have destroyed any hope we had of getting out of this."  
  
"There was no hope from the beginning, Kenshin. He will not restore us willingly; he's made that quite clear. He's enjoying his little experiment, and he doesn't intend for it to end just yet."  
  
The rurouni gritted his teeth. "That doesn't change the fact that you ran off so recklessly, and with my sword!"  
  
"Our sword."  
  
"Did you intend to kill him?"  
  
Battousai kept his gaze firmly fixed on the door. "I don't know."  
  
"Then it's still *my* sword. I will not see the Sakabatou stained with blood because you can't control yourself. This madness must end."  
  
Battousai bristled at the rurouni's condescending tone. Whether Sano truly realized it or not, when it came to arrogance he and the rurouni were equally matched. The rurouni was just much better at hiding it. "The madness is only beginning, Rurouni. I'm still teetering on the edge of the abyss, and I have no control over when I fall in." He paused for a moment before driving the point home. "The fact is, you not longer have control over the madness of the hitokiri, do you? And neither do I."  
  
"So you will kill and blame it on madness? That's a poor excuse."  
  
Battousai turned from the door to face the rurouni, his expression hurt. "You always think the worst of me, don't you?"  
  
"You haven't given me much reason to believe otherwise."  
  
Battousai frowned slightly. "You call me mad and reckless, but I don't think you realize certain things about your own behavior. Did it ever occur to you that maybe this is exactly what Yanagi wants, for us to turn against each other? After all, it's already begun, hasn't it? It really bothers you that you no longer have direct control over me and what I do."   
  
"Don't be ridiculous, the only reason I'm angry is because of your foolish actions! You're putting us all in danger."  
  
"So what do you intend to do then?" Battousai asked, striding towards the rurouni. "Lock me away in the storage shed until we are both toothless old men, too decrepit and frail to harm anyone? Or maybe you think I'll just obey your every command on principle. Just how do you plan to muzzle me and make me behave?"  
  
He stopped short of the rurouni, who was looking very apprehensive. "What do you intend to do about me?"   
  
They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment, their wills battling. It was the rurouni who finally looked away. Battousai smiled without humor. "I thought as much. Don't act so high and mighty when you don't have the resolve to back it up, Rurouni. For the time being I am my own man, and I will make my own decisions in this matter. Besides, Yanagi is still alive; there is still a chance to resolve this. I haven't completely lost control yet, so have an ounce of trust and get the hell off my back."  
  
The rurouni looked back at him in shock. "Goodnight," Battousai said simply, walking over to the sword stand and replacing the Sakabatou respectfully. He then sat down against the wall to sleep.   
  
The rurouni laid down on his futon. He spoke into the uncomfortable silence. "Kaoru is down the hall with Megumi-dono and Akari-dono. Shinta is with Yahiko. Genzai-sensei and Tsubame-dono left."  
  
"Sanoske went home." Battousai whispered. The domestic exchange seemed strange and out of place, but to the two elder parts of Himura Kenshin, it was almost a mutual apology.   
  
Outside in the hall Kaoru stood in stunned silence, her hand pressed to her mouth. She had heard every word that had passed between them. //This can't be happening. Battousai's slowly going insane, by his own admission, and the rurouni can do nothing to stop it. Gods, what do we do now? // The frightening menace in Battousai's voice as he'd spoken to the rurouni had been terrible to hear. The reasons *why* Kenshin had tried so hard for so long to keep this part of himself hidden away from the rest of them were becoming clearer with each passing day. The hitokiri was ruthless and powerful, and served his own version of justice. Kaoru vividly remembered the prelude to Kenshin's battle with Saitou in the dojo, when Saitou had reminded Kenshin of the shared justice of the hitokiri and the Shinsengumi. //He was right all along, wasn't he? At the time I didn't want to believe him but...if Battousai feels that Yanagi should die, then he will kill him, without hesitation. //  
  
Kaoru heard a soft noise nearby and she turned to see Shinta standing behind her in his sleeping robe, his eyes luminous in the dark. She looked at him questioningly, wondering if he'd also heard the conversation, but the child just shook his head slowly, his expression sad and resigned, and turned to go back up the hallway. Kaoru followed him, her worry growing.  
  
TBC...  
  
A/N: Wow that was long! Yikes, there could almost have been a part C -_-;; Aren't you proud of me though, you only had to wait a week for this one, yay! Hmm, since when did this become a Sano/Kenshin fic anyway? Oh well that's okay, they're my two favorite RK characters, so I guess they're entitled ;) I want Yahiko to have a bigger role in this fic too, 'cause he's also one of my favorites, I'm going work him in some more. Lots more coming for this fic! We definitely haven't seen the last of Yanagi, and Battousai still has a lot of explaining to do...see you for part 9! 


	10. chapter 9

Prism  
by Calger459  
Chapter 9  
  
Conventions: *...* is emphasis, //...// is thoughts  
  
*Calger stares at muse in wonder* You know, it took *months* to write "An Inn in Hokkaido", how are we cranking out this fic so darn quickly? I've been averaging what, 6000 words a week? *muse smiles* Simple, it's called recycled lesson plans and college application procrastination! *Calger blinks and then grins as all becomes clear* Aaaah, I see! Well that makes sense. *turns to audience* Oh, btw, if you didn't hate Yanagi before now, you definitely will by the end of this chapter *evil smile*. On with the fic!  
  
Disclaimer: Shinta: The cast of RK has been really poor their whole life, and we're working for Calger-san without pay! Rurouni: So Sony-dono, please don't sue us de gozaru, after all it's for the sake of fandom! Battousai: Yeah, and if you do try and sue us, I'll Kuzu Ryuu Sen you. Rurouni: That really wasn't necessary you know...Battousai: Shut up. Shinta: Maa maa...  
  
~*~  
  
The rurouni dug around in the tub of water, pulling out one of Kaoru's underkimono. With a swiftness and efficiency borne of years of practice he scrubbed it clean and wrung the water out of it before hanging it on the line to dry. By all appearances it was a normal spring morning, with gently singing birds, a light breeze and brilliant sunshine. Standing here like this he could almost forget the darkness that hung invisibly over the dojo like a forbidding rain cloud. He breathed deeply and smiled. "I'm relieved winter is finally over. It's promising to be a nice day."  
  
"I suppose," came a sullen voice at his feet. The rurouni glanced down at the boy slumped against the wooden pole that held up the laundry line. Battousai sat hunched down inside his blue gi as if he could somehow hide from the world inside it. Briefly, the rurouni let his gaze stray to the laundry pile next to the washtub. On top lay the green silk gi. It had not fared well with Battousai's late night run; it was now torn in spots and covered in street dust. Fortunately, Kenshin has a fair amount of experience cleaning and repairing silk kimono, though he was still annoyed that the boy had damaged it in the first place. He glanced back at the younger Kenshin's somber face and sighed.  
  
"You know, you don't have to sit here all day if you don't want to."  
  
Battousai shook his head. "No it's all right. I like it here. It's familiar, and quiet. It's peaceful sitting here with you."  
  
He didn't see the rurouni's eyes widen in genuine surprise. Battousai had awoken in a surprisingly good mood (for him anyway) that morning, and Kenshin was starting to wonder if something was up. //He's hiding something. // The rurouni wasn't completely ignorant of his own little quirks, and he knew he had a tendency to be over-cheerful when he was trying to look like nothing was on his mind. Cheerfulness for the hitokiri meant that for once he wasn't snapping irritably at everyone in sight.  
  
Battousai really did look at ease. His eyes had softened from the night before, changing subtly from gold to a light, almost colorless lavender. The hard set of his jaw had also relaxed. Like steam released from a cooking rice pot, Battousai's encounter with Yanagi seemed to have allowed his anger to vent and for his temper to settle down, at least temporarily. The rurouni watched his younger self carefully, wondering when the pressure would start to build again. It was only a matter of time after all; the boy's anger was merely a symptom of their current state. Only being restored would solve the problem for good. Battousai relaxed further against the pole and tucked his arms inside the his sleeves. The rurouni heard him give a gentle, regretful sigh.  
  
"I ruined the gi, didn't I?"  
  
The rurouni shook his head, carefully straightening the folds of the underkimono. "I don't think so. It just needs to be cleaned now."  
  
"I'm sorry." Battousai apologized softly, his melancholy expression making him look even younger. The rurouni didn't reply; there was nothing more to be said.  
  
"Ohayou, Himura-san."  
  
Both Kenshins looked up to see Akari standing solemnly by the porch, her gaze darkening as she looked at Battousai, who glanced away from her uncomfortably. Neither had forgotten yesterday's unpleasant incident at the market.  
  
Seeking to relieve the awkward silence, the rurouni straightened up from the laundry tub and nodded to her respectfully. The Kenshin-gumi as a group had decided last night that Shimizu Akari was not an enemy to them. Without her, as Battousai had so foolishly proved the night before, they could not both find Yanagi and get him to cooperate. She was the key to everything; they had no choice but to trust her. "You are returning to the hotel now, Akari-dono?"  
  
"Hai. If everything you've told me is the truth, then he has been lying to me for years; I need to find out for myself what Yanagi has really been up to all this time. I will also try to convince him to come here and restore you. I wish I could promise you more than that."  
  
The rurouni nodded. "We understand, Akari-dono. I wish the best of luck to you." Kenshin glanced at Battousai, expecting the youth to at least say something to her, but the boy remained silent, studying his lap with intense interest.  
  
Akari glanced at the hitokiri, her expression unreadable. She didn't know exactly what had transpired between Yanagi and Battousai the night before, but she knew that the encounter had not been pleasant. To say that she was displeased with the teenager's recklessness towards her husband was an understatement. From the way the others spoke about him, she knew that the boy before her was the Hitokiri Battousai, a legendary swordsman of unrivaled skill and power. His appearance was deceptive; sitting quietly in daylight the way he was now he seemed harmless, with a gentle, almost feminine face and slim, weak-looking build. But she had already seen for herself his deadly potential; yesterday her heart had raced in fear under his lethal amber glare. Terror had kept her from running even as he'd approached her, his sure and even steps speaking of great strength. He could have easily killed her husband last night; how and why Yanagi had survived a fight with the assassin was a mystery to her, one she intended to solve when she spoke with him. Without another word, she turned to leave.  
  
Suddenly, Battousai stood, taking a hesitant step in her direction. "Akari-dono."  
  
She stopped, but did not look back at him. "Yes?"  
  
"I..." he hesitated. The rurouni watched him out of the corner of his eye. "Be careful."  
  
Akari simply nodded and continued walking, leaving the dojo without fanfare. Battousai watched her go, uncertain what he was feeling. His mind was a tangle of emotions: frustration with his failure to bring back Yanagi, guilt and regret for going after him the way he did in the first place. But those feelings were dwarfed by concern for Akari's welfare. Yanagi was dangerous, and just because she happened to be his wife didn't mean she was in any less danger from him. //He's not sane. Hell, he wasn't right in the head in Hokkaido, and he seems to have only gotten worse since then. Now...now he's capable of anything. //  
  
"She'll be all right," the rurouni said gently, sensing his train of thought. "It's best that we leave this up to her for now."  
  
Battousai turned to look at him. "You shouldn't be so trusting. He told me he has no counter-technique. Even if that was a lie, we shouldn't be sending her to find out for us."  
  
From inside, Kaoru eavesdropped on the conversation. She watched with apprehension as Akari slowly, and with great dignity, left the dojo. She remembered the conversation she'd had with the older woman earlier that morning:  
  
"I wonder, Kaoru-san, what you think of all this."  
  
"What?" Kaoru paused in combing her hair, looking at Akari with surprise. After everyone had finally retired to bed last night, the woman hadn't spoken another word to either her or Megumi. The woman doctor watched them now with interest from the far side of the room.  
  
Akari continued in a low voice. "My Yanagi has done great harm to you and to your husband. I can't even imagine what it must be like for you, having to deal with a little child and that *boy*-" here she referred to Battousai with great disdain, "-as well as Himura-san. And yet you just smile, and you don't seem to be angry with me at all."  
  
"Oh...no, how could I be? It's not your fault." Kaoru frowned slightly; the other woman had brought up an interesting point, one she hadn't really had time to consider since this whole thing began. Where *did* she stand in this matter? Closing her eyes she thought for a long moment, aware of the other woman's expectant gaze. //She's a very spirited woman, much like me, and in this case we are equals. She deserves an honest answer. // "It...does hurt me to see my husband like this, Akari-san. I've never seen him experience so much pain and fear before, and I've cried for him these past three days. I really have. The rurouni...is very anxious, though he tries to hide it. He doubts himself, and the hitokiri will not obey him, so he fears as well. I also worry. I trust my husband, and I don't believe Battousai will kill if he has another option, but even so I can't help but doubt a little about that, especially after last night. Shinta tries to hold them together, but no matter what he does they just keep growing further apart. I can see all three falling apart before my eyes, and I can't do anything to help. I am angry-no, much more than angry-that Yanagi has done this thing to the man I love. But...I feel my smiles help Kenshin more than my anger. Were our positions reversed, what would do?"  
  
Akari's eyes widened, impressed. //She seems so innocent and frivolous when you first look at her, but really she is quite wise. A good match for Himura-san. // "I'm not sure what I would do in your place, but I swear this to you Kaoru-san: despite my love for him I will see my husband answer for what he has done. Because if I were you, I'm not sure I could be so forgiving." She let that statement hang for a moment before standing up to leave. "I thank you for all that you've done. I will see you soon."  
  
After Akari had left the room Kaoru looked over at Megumi, and was surprised by the doctor's sympathetic expression. "Poor woman."  
  
Kaoru stirred herself out of her memory. A heavy silence hung over the courtyard. The rurouni had resumed doing the laundry, but Battousai still stood there staring after Akari, apparently at a loss of what to do with himself.  
  
"Oi, Busu." Kaoru gasped and jumped a little as Yahiko appeared at her elbow.   
  
"Don't DO that!"  
  
He ignored her. "So, what kind of chaos is on the agenda for today?" Kaoru started at the bitterness in the boy's voice. Looking at his face she saw dark circles under his eyes, and his hair was even messier than usual. He looked like he hadn't slept a wink, and she was just beginning to wonder about that when a red-haired ball of energy suddenly shot between them, almost knocking both of them off their feet.  
  
"Kenshiiiin-saaaaaan!"   
  
Battousai whirled around in time to see Shinta launch himself off the porch straight at him. He barely had time to gape in surprise and let out a startled "oro!" before the child hit him full in the chest, knocking both of them back into laundry tub with a tremendous splash of soapy water.  
  
"Gaaah! Shinta-kun!"  
  
"Kenshin-san, ohayou!"  
  
"Oro?"  
  
Both Yahiko and Kaoru gaped with identical expressions of horror at the sight of Battousai sprawled in the tub, soaking wet, a happily giggling Shinta sitting on his chest. Kaoru found herself instinctively tensing up in case Battousai decided to turn on the boy for such an offense...then she gave herself a firm mental shake. //Baka Kaoru, this is Kenshin! Even the hitokiri wouldn't do something like that. After all, it's only laundry and a bit of water. // Shinta bounced up and down on the hitokiri's chest. "Haha, I got you, I got you! That was so much fun!"  
  
Battousai's eyes were very wide as he stared at the pint-sized version of himself. "F-fun? Are you *nuts*?! Get off me! Rurouni, help!"  
  
The rurouni stared at the dripping form of his younger self and let his eyes travel slowly up to the small pile of suds sitting neatly on the top of the hitokiri's head. It had to be the most ridiculous sight he'd ever seen...and he couldn't help himself. He started to laugh uncontrollably, and had to catch onto the laundry pole to keep from collapsing in fit of near-silent giggles. "You....y-you're all wet!"  
  
Battousai glared at the rurouni then looked helplessly to Kaoru, his gaze almost pleading. It was too much; her horror gave way to a grin, and soon both she and Yahiko were laughing hysterically. It was just too funny; the great Battousai lying helpless in a pile of wet laundry, pinned down by a kid half his size.  
  
"What is wrong with all of you, it's not funny! Shinta get off!"  
  
The child threw back his head and laughed, the sun sparkling in his brilliant amethyst eyes. "But this is fun, play with us!" He suddenly jumped up out of the tub, pulling Battousai along by one arm. The hitokiri stumbled clumsily out of the water, hampered by a wet gi that had gotten wrapped around one foot. The shirt caught on the edge of the tub and tripped him, sending the teenager sprawling into the dirt. That sent the others into an even greater fit of hysterics.  
  
"You see!" Yahiko got out around his laughter, "You see what I had to deal with all night? That kid's a nightmare!"  
  
His face burning in humiliation, Battousai made a furious grab at Shinta's ankle; the boy skipped easily out of the way and turned to wink at Yahiko. "Ah, but trouble is my specialty Yahiko-san! It's so easy, ne?" He knelt down and patted the prone Battousai on the head as if he were a misbehaving puppy. "He takes everything so seriously, running off alone like that! Bad hitokiri-san!"  
  
Battousai slowly lifted his head and leveled a glare at Shinta. "Are you *trying* to piss me off, or is this your idea of a sick joke?"  
  
Shinta clucked his tongue disapprovingly at him. "Baka Kenshin-san, you only get mad because you let yourself get baited so easily! You don't have to be so irritated all the time."  
  
"I was fine until you came along, you little-"  
  
"Kenshin," the rurouni said in a warning tone. He walked over and grabbed the collar of Battousai's gi, pulling the dripping hitokiri to his feet. "That's enough of that; go with Shinta and get dried off while I finish this. Please?"  
  
Battousai's eyes narrowed at being ordered about, but he complied without a word. //Now is not the time to pick a fight with him. Later...I'll work this out with him later. // Taking Shinta by the hand he pulled the still giggling child toward the storage shed. Passing by the porch he met Yahiko's gaze, and the young swordsman couldn't suppress a slight shudder as the hitokiri passed by. //Those eyes of his are so creepy! How could he have been hiding inside Kenshin all this time, without us ever really knowing? There was the fight with Saitou but aside from that...I still don't understand what's going on. // He looked back at the rurouni, who was collecting all the clothes that had spilled out of the tub.   
  
It was such a normal sight, Kenshin doing the laundry, something he saw his mentor do every day. Standing here with him and Kaoru he could almost forget everything that had happened to them in the past few days, all the weirdness and fear and uncertainty. //And Shinta sharing my room...that's gotta go. He may act all cute and well-behaved around the adults but that kid has a streak of mischief in him a mile wide. No wonder Hiko-san has no patience with him, if I had to raise a kid like that...// Yahiko couldn't help but smile a little at the mental picture that made. He could almost *see* a pint-sized Kenshin running away from a giant sword-wielding Hiko, a jug of stolen sake in his arms, an innocent grin plastered to his cherubic face the entire time.   
  
Shinta and Battousai...Yahiko's smile faded. There was such a sharp contrast between the two. How could they both be part of the man he knew, the swordsman who'd become almost like a father to him? "I'll go get Megumi-san," he said quietly, turning to go inside.  
  
~*~  
  
Shinta waited patiently as Battousai dug through the storage shed, looking for an extra set of clothes. "I can't believe you did that, now look at us!"  
  
The boy shrugged. "I had to break the mood somehow; you can hardly breathe around here anymore, there's so much worry and fear in the air. Besides, it was fun."  
  
Kenshin found the trunk containing the Kamiya Kasshin training outfits and pulled out two, one for him and one for Shinta. He tossed the smaller set to the boy. "Look, the sooner that woman comes back with Yanagi the better off we'll be."  
  
Shinta hugged the bundle to his chest and looked at his counterpart thoughtfully. "You really should talk to him, you know."  
  
Battousai glanced at him. "Who, Yanagi?"  
  
"No, Yahiko-san."  
  
That gave the hitokiri pause. Shinta continued. "He feels very left out and confused. No one has talked to him about this yet, not even Rurouni-san. I think...I think he needs to talk with you. He doesn't know you."  
  
"I don't want him to know me," Kenshin whispered in a pained voice.  
  
"I know," Shinta agreed, sympathetic. "But you need allies right now. You can't lose Yahiko the way you lost Sanosuke."  
  
Battousai looked him in shock. "How did you- "  
  
"I just knew," the boy whispered sadly. "You came back alone last night, and the things you said to Rurouni-san..."  
  
"You were listening to that?"  
  
"Of course," the boy said quietly. "We're not as separate as we seem, Kenshin-san. I feel what you feel, and sometimes I hear what you hear, if it's strong enough. Kaoru-san heard it as well. Do you understand why we are so worried about you?"  
  
Battousai sighed angrily and stripped off his wet gi, tossing it onto the floor. He wrapped the dry white one around his shoulders. "Of course I understand; I'm not off in my own world like the rurouni. There's nothing to be done about it."  
  
"Are you sure?" Kenshin looked over into Shinta's deep violet eyes. He could feel the power emanating from the boy, and he couldn't help but have a measure of respect for his own strength of ki. "Let us help you, instead of closing yourself off or hiding behind a mask of anger."  
  
Battousai felt his eyes narrow in annoyance. He was so *tired* of everyone telling him that. He pulled the gi shut and began tying the obi almost viciously, pulling the cloth around him in hard jerks. "'Let us help you, let us help you', that's all you people ever say to me! How, exactly, are you supposed to 'help' Shinta? I've always been like this, *always*. I'm the darkness of Himura Kenshin, the killer, the spoiled immature brat Shishou was always thwacking for his insolence. No amount of talk is going to change what I am. If I fall, I fall. There's nothing I can do about it."  
  
"Why are you so convinced of that?" Shinta, now sounding nothing like a child, cocked his head to one side and regarded Battousai thoughtfully. "Don't forget who you're talking to. I know you don't like being this way; it frightens and upsets you. It hurts you when the others turn from you in fear...so why make them afraid in the first place? Is it really so hard for you to just be *you*? I know you can be just as gentle as Rurouni-san, and Kaoru-san doesn't have to be the only one who gets to see that side of you. There's no need for you to keep hiding behind the assassin's front."  
  
Battousai stood with shoulders hunched, his pain visible. "I...just can't, Shinta. I can't deal with the others that way. It's not easy for me like it is for you."  
  
Shinta sighed wearily and started changing out of his own wet clothing. "Of course it isn't easy. As you said, it's not in your nature to be that friendly. Masks and shields have no need to get along with other people, do they? That's not why they exist. But even so, you make it so much harder for yourself than it has to be. Especially when you just go off on a hunt without telling anyone-"  
  
"Shut up!" Battousai hissed in sudden fury, whirling on the child. "Just *shut up* about that! I wasn't going to kill him, dammit! You think I'm that stupid? You do, don't you, you're just like the rurouni, assuming that I have all the brains of a rock! You both should know me better than that. I wasn't going to kill our only hope of getting back to normal! *Stop treating me like a child*."  
  
Shinta was unfazed by his counterpart's anger. He'd seen it far too many times to be fooled by it. "If you don't want to be treated like the boy you resemble, then stop acting like one. You know what you did was wrong, that's why you're so upset about it now. Don't be so stubborn and arrogant, Kenshin-san."  
  
The battle of wills had begun again, but Kenshin knew he's already lost this one. Shinta was far more than he seemed, and unlike the rurouni he had no fear of the hitokiri. Hearing Sano's words from this child's mouth rankled Battousai to no end, but he didn't dare raise a hand against the boy; he was no fool. After a tense few moments Battousai finally gave up, turning away to finish dressing. "Damn you," he whispered stubbornly.  
  
Shinta smiled slightly, satisfied with his victory. "Just talk to Yahiko-san, okay? You owe it to him."  
  
~*~  
  
"Oi, woman."  
  
At the edge of the Western quarter, Akari paused in her steps. She calmly noted the tall man slumped against the wall of a nearby building. For some reason, she wasn't surprised to see him there. "What is it, Sagara-san?"  
  
Sano snorted. "No need to be so formal lady, just Sano's fine. I hope you're not actually planning to go back to that husband of yours."  
  
The polite demeanor that Akari had worn until now dropped abruptly away and she glared at Sano in open annoyance. "And what business is it of yours?"  
  
Sano leveled a serious look at her. "It's my business because I saw everything last night, and your husband doesn't have all his oars in the water. I wouldn't trust that jerk as far as I could throw him, and neither does Kenshin. You think he'll take kindly to being confronted about this?"  
  
Akari didn't like the way the man's words echoed her own thoughts on the matter. It only confirmed her fears, and she had no time for fear right now. "No matter what you say he's done Sagara, Yanagi is my husband and I don't fear him. Thanks for the concern, but it's misplaced. I can handle his little moods."  
  
Sano raised an eyebrow. //Well she's a fiery one. Kinda reminds me of the Fox. // "Look, I just don't want anyone to end up dead here, not over something like this. You may be the only hope we have, since Yanagi claims he can't fix what he broke."  
  
"What?" This was news to her.  
  
"You heard me. The guy said last night he has no idea how to put my friend back together, and that he wasn't interested in trying. If you can convince him otherwise, great, but I doubt you can. If what I saw last night meant anything, he may just snap on you."  
  
Akari scowled, trying to hide the worry that was tying her stomach into knots. "What else do you want me to do? Talking to him is the only way."  
  
Sano frowned. "Yeah, I know that. Just be careful, all right? I'd like to stick around in case he tries something."  
  
Akari blinked at that last part, surprised. "I hardly even know you. Don't tell me your concern for me is only for your friend's sake, Sagara-san."   
  
"Huh?" Sano blinked dumbly for a second.  
  
Akari sighed, irritated. //He's thick as a brick, just as I thought. // "Why would you risk yourself to protect me? You only need me to help your friend. So why does it matter what happens to me after that?"  
  
For a moment, Sano just stared at her. "What do you mean, why does it matter...Hey! What kind of jerk do you think I am? I can't just let a woman get hurt for no reason."  
  
Akari smirked, suddenly feeling playful. "Oh really? So you're this really noble, gallant guy who lives only to save the pretty lady who is the key to saving your friend? You must really like me." She had to force herself not to grin when he blushed bright red. //Heh, he really is just a boy in some ways. He's quite handsome though, and it's sweet of him to offer his protection like that. He'll make a woman very happy someday. //  
  
Sano was still blushing furiously. "How could I know if I like you, I hardly know you!"  
  
"Exactly," she said, suddenly serious. She stepped very close to him, dropping her voice to almost a whisper. "We don't know each other, and we don't owe each other anything beyond my own sense of responsibility for what my husband has done. Is your concern only for your friend? If it is, then you might as well stay out of it, Sagara-san. I don't need that kind of protection."  
  
Sano scowled, but he had to admit she had a point. Technically, he shouldn't care what became of her as long as she got the job done...but he liked to think that when it came to friends and loyalty, he was better than most men. "I told you, it's just Sano. And no, it's not only for Kenshin."  
  
Akari regarded him thoughtfully, weighing his words. Then she smiled, and he was struck by her beauty. //That bastard doesn't deserve a woman like her. I wonder what she sees in him? // "All right then...Sano. You may come along if it makes you feel better, just don't let my husband see you."  
  
Sano grinned. "That's more like it. And don't worry, you won't even know I'm there."  
  
~*~  
  
Kenshin was pounced on by Megumi the minute he emerged from the shed. "Ken-san, there you are!"  
  
Battousai recoiled visibly from the woman doctor, whom he'd managed to successfully avoid all morning. While he was eternally grateful for everything the woman had done for him medically speaking, her personality was simply too catty for his tastes, and the hitokiri had always been far less tolerant than the rurouni. "Megumi-dono," he said with false pleasantness, aware of Shinta's watchful gaze on his back.  
  
Ignoring his discomfort, Megumi loomed over him and studied his face with interest. "Amazing, you really are Ken-san, aren't you? You've certainly been elusive; Kaoru-chan said you were wounded yesterday, I need to have a look at you."  
  
Battousai kept his expression neutral. "That's not necessary, Megumi-dono. I'm fine."  
  
"That's not what everyone else tells me." Battousai leaned around Megumi and saw the rest of the Kenshin-gumi standing on the porch, watching the scene with interest. Next to Yahiko, the rurouni and Kaoru stood together, hand in hand. Sidestepping the doctor neatly, Battousai strode over to the porch.  
  
Kaoru raised a curious eyebrow at him. "Something wrong, Kenshin? We heard yelling from the shed."  
  
"It was nothing," he said tightly. He turned his glare on the rurouni. "Didn't you tell her that I'm fine?"  
  
"You were hit in the head. Twice."  
  
"So? A little rock isn't enough to faze me, you know that."  
  
Megumi couldn't help but stare admiringly at the teenaged version of Kenshin, dressed in the powder blue and white uniform of the Kamiya dojo. Despite his small stature he was obviously powerfully built, and she could see the strength in his slender arms. He did indeed appear to be fine, though she was startled by his ice-cold manner. By this point she had come to accept that Kenshin had no romantic feelings toward her, but he'd at least always treated her as a friend. //Now I see what Kaoru was talking about. What an awful situation for Ken-san. // "It's all right, Kaoru-chan, we'll leave him be for now. Are we ready to go?"  
  
"Go?" Battousai echoed, confused. Kaoru slipped the rurouni's hand off hers, casting him an apologetic glance, and stepped down off the porch.   
  
She took Battousai's hand gently. "We really need supplies; we're almost out of food. Kenshin and I are going to accompany Megumi-san back to the clinic. We should be back before long, but we need you to stay with Yahiko and watch over the dojo."  
  
"What?" Yahiko squeaked, suddenly looking panicked.  
  
Battousai narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Now wait just a minute, I thought you-"  
  
"Me too!" Shinta suddenly shouted, bounding up to the rurouni and pulling on his hands. "Take me with you!"  
  
The rurouni knelt down very close to the child's face. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Trust me," Shinta whispered. "I have an idea. Just take me with you."  
  
"But you're the only one who can keep him here!"  
  
Shinta sighed. "You really are a hopeless worrier, Rurouni-san. He won't leave before we get back. Just trust me."  
  
"What are you two whispering about over there?" the hitokiri growled. He sensed that they were discussing him, and he could feel his sword hand twitching in irritation.  
  
"We'll take Shinta-kun with us," the rurouni announced, ignoring Battousai. "Let go, Kaoru, Megumi-dono."  
  
The group headed toward the gate and Battousai stared after them, at a loss for words.  
  
A chill wind blew across the now-silent courtyard and Yahiko couldn't suppress a shiver. //Left alone...with the hitokiri. Aw crap. //  
  
~*~  
  
Akari stood in front of the hotel doors, uncertain. She hoped against hope Yanagi was actually in the room waiting for her, but she couldn't be sure. She forced herself not to look over her shoulder at Sano where he stood in an alley across the street. Part of her was relieved to have someone watching out for her; the rest of her resented the whole situation. //How was he able to hide all this from me for so long, and what if Sagara's right? I don't like this...// Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the doors and headed up to their room, making sure the guard inside the lobby saw her. It was ridiculous, being afraid of her own husband, but ever since yesterday nothing seemed reasonable anymore. Her world had been changed beyond recognition, catching her in a terrible lie, and she felt helpless as she climbed the stairs to an uncertain fate.  
  
The door to their room was unlocked, and she pushed it open cautiously. She was a little alarmed to see that the curtains had been pulled shut on the windows, casting the room into darkness. She squinted into the shadows and saw a figure crouched on the bed, still as a statue. "...Yanagi?"  
  
"Shut the door."  
  
//I shouldn't be afraid. // "Why are you sitting in the dark?"  
  
"Where the hell did you go last night?"  
  
//I *won't* be afraid. // "You know where I was. What is going on here, Yanagi? How is it that that man is now three different people?"  
  
"Why didn't you come back here last night, why the hell did you send *him*?"  
"'He' sent himself, dear. I had nothing to do with it. Did you create him? Did you really do this thing to Himura-san?"  
  
"You despise me, don't you?"  
  
"What?" Yanagi's voice was a low, pained hiss. She had never heard such agony coming from him, and that scared her far more than his temper ever could. "Yanagi, *please* I just want to know what's going on!"  
  
Yanagi suddenly moved in the shadows and Akari felt her wrists being grabbed. She gasped as he wrenched her around and threw her into the room. Yanagi shut the door, plunging them both into darkness. She felt his hands close around her wrists again and this time she fought, trying desperately to wrench her hands free. "What are you doing, let go!"  
  
"He's turned you against me," Yanagi whispered in her ear. She froze at his voice, at its sudden and terrible coldness. "I wanted him, wanted his strength, the power of the hitokiri. I wanted to be his equal. But I need you also, Akari-chan. I need you on my side. What did he tell you?"  
  
"What is this power you have," she whispered, "how long have you been able to do this? Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"Do you hate me for what I've done?"  
  
Akari swallowed nervously, realizing that her fate probably depended on her answer. "I...don't know."  
  
She felt his body press against hers and she couldn't repress a shudder. Who was this man? He didn't seem like her Yanagi at all; her husband had a rotten temper, but he had never treated her like this before, and every instinct she possessed screamed at her to fight back, but something seemed to have grabbed hold of her mind, holding her in place. Her eyes widened in sudden realization. //It's him; he's holding me with his mind! Oh my god...// She suddenly remembered every time she had ever questioned him, how he had leaned forward to touch her the forehead with what had seemed like tenderness...and every time her will to argue had suddenly evaporated, as if it had never been. //It was him, and before now I never made the connection. He's been controlling *me*! // Fear turned to outrage, and she fought back against him, trying to move with all her strength.  
  
"Why are you fighting?" he asked, still in that deadly calm whisper. "You can't escape me. I won't let you leave here, not before you promise to stay with me." His grip tightened even more and she cried out in pain as his nails dug into her skin. She felt hot blood run down her arms. "Gods Yanagi stop it, what's wrong with you? *Stop it*!"  
  
She felt him lean over her and breathe warmly into her ear, sending chills up her spine. "I won't restore Himura, not until I beat him, not until I win. I am the powerful one now, I will prove that to you all. I am strong, do you hear me, I'm stronger than Battousai!"  
  
Akari opened her mouth to scream but Yanagi knew her far too well; he grabbed her throat and squeezed, just hard enough to warn her. "Your tall friend will not save you. I know he's close by; I felt him arrive with you. You are mine, and I will not go to Himura. If he wants me, tell him to come find me again. If you disobey, if you try to go with him, I-" he suddenly stopped and she felt his hand twitch around her throat.  
  
"I...I will..."  
  
"Will what?" she croaked. She felt strangely calm, despite the frantic pounding of her heart. She knew what Yanagi was trying to say, and the fact that he was having trouble gave her the tiniest glimmer of hope.  
  
"You will come back to me," he suddenly growled. "Don't you stay with Himura again, you understand?"  
  
Carefully, she nodded, and the crushing pressure of his hand was suddenly lifted. Akari didn't dare move; she had no idea why her husband was acting like this; it wasn't normal, it wasn't *sane*. She blinked away tears of pain and confusion. "Yanagi...don't you remember? You don't need to prove anything to me. You never needed to show me that you were strong. Won't you...come back to me?"  
  
Yanagi was just a shape hunkered in the darkness near her, and she could hear him panting heavily, like a large and monstrous dog. //I've got to get away from here. Is he letting me go? Oh gods, Sagara please still be outside! Please, I have to get away... //  
  
"Oh..." she heard him whisper. "You're afraid, aren't you? I can see it around you...I wish you could see what I see." He paused again, as if thinking. "Battousai thinks I can't restore him...I don't think I can either. But I want him to come...how should I get him to come here, Akari?"  
  
"I'll tell him to come," she whispered fearfully. "I'll bring him to you."  
  
"Good," he purred. She heard him move in the dark, and then his hand was on her mouth, pushing her head against the floor. "But he should have more incentive than that, ne? Himura is such a protective soul..."  
  
~*~  
  
Sano fretted impatiently in the alley, keeping his eyes glued to the hotel doorway. //This is bad, this is *really* bad. She's been up there a long time. // He wanted desperately to run inside and find the couple, but he didn't want to ruin any chance Akari had of resolving this peacefully. //Yeah right, who am I fooling? The guy's a nutcase, he's even worse than Jine...//  
  
The wind was blowing colder, and there was a hint of rain on the wind. Sano glanced up and saw dark storm clouds starting to gather on the horizon. He'd always been the superstitious type, and gathering storms were always a bad sign. //I know it rains a lot in spring but still...// He swallowed and looked to the hotel again. Still no sign of her. Then he heard it, a sound that sent his heart into his throat: a shrill woman's scream. "Akari!"  
  
His feet took him into the hotel, past the shocked guard, and into the heart of the nightmare.  
  
TBC...  
  
A/N: Dum dum dum! *cue scary dramatic music* Sano to the rescue? Hehe, sorry for leaving you on yet another cliffhanger, but they're so darn useful *ducks tomatoes*. Seriously though, see I told you Yahiko would have a role here; he gets a lot more spotlight in the next chapter. This chapter felt like a bunch of rambling to me, it was a lot of tying up loose ends and getting ready for the next phase of the plot; it was both development and setup, I hope it wasn't boring or anything -_-;; Chapter 10 is where things get exciting! Next: Yahiko and Battousai's little heart-to-heart (well, sort of) and the aftermath of Yanagi's psychotic episode. The storm descends...we're about two-thirds done with this little epic folks, see you for part 10!  
**New pictures! I've been drawing a lot of Kenshin lately hehe I'm just having too much fun with this fic ;) I have four for you this time, all in color:  
  
http://www.flame.org/~calger/anime/colorken1.jpg   
(this is a little color sketch of Battousai in the green gi)  
  
http://www.flame.org/~calger/anime/colorken2.jpg   
(full color of Shinta sleeping next to the sakabatou ^_^)  
  
http://www.flame.org/~calger/anime/colorken3.jpg   
(Now the Rurouni gets to wear the green gi...and he looks really girly in this one -_-;; Oh, and he got a matching hanten from somewhere, your guess is as good as mine...)  
  
http://www.flame.org/~calger/anime/colorken4.jpg   
(the three of them together...now, I did this one really fast at work so there are a lot of mistakes-I didn't have any hands to look at, okay?-I'm going to do another version, because I really like it, with perspective and details corrected, maybe in watercolor) 


	11. chapter 10

Prism  
by Calger459  
Chapter 10  
  
Conventions: *…* is emphasis, //…// is thoughts  
  
Sorry for the long delay in getting this chapter out guys, October was a really busy month in RL. Let's see, my computer crashed and I had to wipe my C drive *twice* and reinstall windows about four times (it turns out the hard drive in my year-old computer was physically failing. Mou!). Then I got busy doing a panel on kimono with my friend at Sugoi Con. And *then* I went to St. Louis for a family visit. Yare yare -_-;; So all that ate up writing time…but also this chapter was just hard to write. Figuring out the interaction of Yahiko and Battousai was trickier than I had imagined and it was an editing nightmare, going through at least twelve revisions and rewrites before both my beta-reader and I were satisfied with it -_-;; I hope this installment was worth the wait, on with the fic!  
  
Disclaimer: The wonderfully complicated character of Himura Kenshin is the property of Watsuki-sensei and Sony *bows* I'm just a humble fanfic writer, so please don't sue! Arigatou ^_^  
  
~*~   
  
A strong breeze blew across the dojo yard and Yahiko shivered, but it wasn't from the cold. The others had long since passed through the gates but Battousai was still standing there, lost in his own thoughts. Looking at his turned back Yahiko could almost *see* the indignant anger pouring off the older boy in ice-cold waves. Kenshin was furious; every inch of him screamed it. What Yahiko couldn't quite understand was *why*. So they had gone shopping, big deal; Kenshin did that every day. Besides, Battousai didn't even seem to like the other two all that much. You'd think he'd be happy to be rid of them. // He's always angry, no matter what. //  
  
Kenshin's voice cut abruptly into the thick silence. "They just blew me off and left me behind. Damn that rurouni, who the *hell* does he think he is?" The hitokiri's voice, though only a whisper, shook with fury.  
  
Yahiko swallowed nervously. He didn't understand this younger Kenshin. Eerily calm one moment, murderously furious the next, insane was the only word he could think of to describe such an erratic personality…but Kenshin wasn't crazy, at least Yahiko had never believed him to be. Sure, he could be a little eccentric about some things, especially laundry, but that was nothing to be frightened of. The Kenshin Yahiko had come to know, while frighteningly strong in swordsmanship, was nothing like the nightmarish child's tales of Battousai. Those stories made Kenshin out to be a bloodthirsty, temperamental, psychotic murderer, the kind of man you'd expect to have slain hundreds of men. Even faced with the very specter of Kenshin's past, he still had a hard time matching what he knew of the legendary hitokiri to the man who did Kaoru's laundry and played with Genzai-sensei's grandchildren. After all, Yahiko's very first memory of Kenshin was of his kindness; he'd caught the boy stealing his wallet and instead of handing him over to the police like anyone else would have done, he'd simply handed the money back, flashing his trademark rurouni smile. "Don't get caught next time," he'd said cheerfully, before being dragged off by the hair by an impatient Kaoru. A man like that wasn't a killer…it was impossible.  
  
Yahiko couldn't deny the evidence of his own eyes though, and Battousai had to have come from *somewhere*. //Kenshin split into three bodies, so the hitokiri was once part of the whole. Just how much has Kenshin really been hiding from us? //  
  
Perhaps what frightened Yahiko the most about the hitokiri was the fact that he *wasn't* entirely unfamiliar; they'd all seen him before, when Kenshin had fought Saitou. //Then he just up and left for Kyoto without even saying goodbye…he hurt everyone so much when he did that. // Kenshin had never apologized for his insensitive behavior back then, and Yahiko was bothered by its similarity to Battousai's actions over the past few days. It meant that the image he'd built up in his mind of a perfect, gentle and wise Kenshin wasn't completely true, and it was hard to idolize someone who had flaws like everyone else. He supposed this situation was the perfect opportunity to find out for sure just who Kenshin was, but now that he was alone with the hitokiri he had no idea what to say to him.   
  
He waited for some kind of acknowledgement from Battousai, but the older boy seemed oblivious to the world around him. Finally, out of desperation, he just started to talk. "Um….so what should we do now? I mean I can just go practice or something; you don't have to talk or anything if you don't want to. You look kind of pissed off, so I'll just go now…"  
  
His only answer was silence. Feeling like an idiot, Yahiko turned to leave.  
  
"Wait." The command was no more than a whisper, but Yahiko stopped immediately. Glancing back, he found himself staring into Battousai's strange golden eyes, which were surprisingly gentle. His anger seemed to have suddenly vanished, which Yahiko found just a bit disturbing. "I'll watch you practice if you like, since Kaoru's not here."  
  
"Oh…all right." Yahiko wanted to kick himself for sounding so dumb, but his mind was reeling in shock. He didn't feel at all like he should. After all Kenshin, the greatest swordsman *ever* was going to personally supervise *his* practice session! He should have been giddy with excitement…but instead he was filled with dread. The idea of having Battousai as his instructor was downright frightening. He didn't dare object though; Kenshin was still Kenshin, and in Yahiko's mind the assassin demanded triple the respect of the rurouni. He quickly headed to the dojo to get ready.  
  
~*~  
  
//Betrayed. I've been betrayed. // Battousai tried and failed to keep the furious glower off his face as Yahiko ran through his forms, apparently doing his best to ensure that the older swordsman wouldn't have a single complaint. It was an admirable effort…if completely useless.  
  
"You must be cleaner with that down-strike Yahiko, otherwise you won't get it up to speed. Speed is a must if you want to prevent your enemy from breaking through your attack."  
  
The boy gave a frustrated sigh and started another run, this time trying to swing as fast as possible. Kenshin suppressed the urge to groan in disgust as Yahiko's form suddenly become hopelessly sloppy. He knew Kaoru would probably have his head if she caught him teaching the young samurai, even if it was just supervision. It wasn't that she didn't respect his expertise, quite the opposite in fact, it was just that he was not trained in Kamiya Kasshin Ryu and she didn't want him inadvertently teaching Yahiko the wrong thing. Really though, as well as the young samurai had done in the handful of fights he'd been involved in, the child still had so much to learn. Kenshin respected Kaoru's strength as a swordsmaster, but her fighting skills were a bit lacking, and Yahiko was not improving in that area as much as he should have been.  
  
//I can't believe they just left me behind like that. They did it on purpose, I'm sure of it. // Distracted by his thoughts, Kenshin's frown deepened. He was so sick of this, of being constantly disregarded by his other selves. They both treated him like an errant, slow-witted child whose opinions and feelings simply didn't matter. // They talk behind my back, yell at me for being what I am, and then just take off with no explanation. They obviously feel I have no right to know what's going on with our situation. Dammit, this is ridiculous; I used to control them both! // He clenched his teeth in anger, then forced himself to remember where he was. Sighing gently, he attempted to rein in his temper, which was once again threatening to fly out of his control. //Shinta told me to talk to Yahiko. How convenient that we're now here by ourselves, with no other distractions. // He wondered just what his younger self was up to. Shinta was a mysterious entity. While his nature was essentially childlike, he nevertheless carried all of Himura Kenshin's memories inside him, and so he could be astonishingly clever and manipulative. There was no doubt in his mind that Shinta had engineered this moment between him and Yahiko, and he'd pulled it off with amazing finesse, even if it did leave the teenager feeling like he'd gotten the short end of the stick. //Oh hell with it, he meant well enough I suppose. I might as well play along for now. Besides, that form is getting even worse. // Turning his attention back to Yahiko he watched the boy for a moment. //Figures that the only way I can talk to this kid is through the sword. Shinta, you know me far too well. // "Stop!"  
  
"*Now* what?" Yahiko snapped irritably; an instant later he froze, a panicked look on his face. //Remembered who he was talking to, did he? // Kenshin observed wryly. Yahiko's obvious fear of him bothered him; he considered the young swordsman to be a member of his family, and he was very protective of him. //I need to be careful how I handle this. Shinta was right about that; Yahiko doesn't know me, and I don't want to frighten him any further. //  
  
Choosing to ignore Yahiko's moment of rudeness, Kenshin stood and walked forward, being careful to look relaxed and non-threatening. "I think you misunderstood. To gain speed the form has to be both correct and precise. One does not come before the other. That was very sloppy, Yahiko. I said clean the form up, not rush through it."  
  
The boy blushed bright red in embarrassment, obviously realizing his mistake. Kenshin decided to take pity on him; he would just have to show him how it was done, that was all. Turning away he walked over to the bokken rack on the far wall. Selecting one, he turned to face Yahiko. "Watch me, all right?"   
  
Yahiko was staring at him in open amazement, his mouth hanging open slightly. Kenshin wondered why the boy seemed so surprised, but dismissed it. He adopted a stance identical to Yahiko's and raised the bokken over his head. "Stead and clean, Yahiko." Centering himself, he struck with full force, controlling his swing so that the tip of the bokken just touched the floor. He heard the boy gasp in awe. "Whoa…do that again." Kenshin complied, and wondered if Yahiko was observing what he was supposed to. Not the speed of his strike, but the technique that allowed it: the way he stood, the position of his arms, his grip on the hilt. His question was answered when he looked over at the young samurai. The child's face was determined and set, obviously understanding what he was supposed to do, and Kenshin mentally congratulated Kaoru's training of the boy. "All right Kenshin, let me try that again."  
  
~*~  
  
As the training session progressed Yahiko couldn't conceal his astonishment at just how *helpful* Battousai really was. His style of teaching was very different from Kaoru's; he was a lot more patient, for one thing. Kenshin corrected his technique with each strike, gently pushing him in the right direction with the kind of confidence and expertise that came only from years of practical experience. It was a nice change from his constant bickering with Kaoru (though he always found that quite fun), and Yahiko was surprised by how comfortable he was becoming in the hitokiri's presence. Battousai seemed to be enjoying himself as well; Yahiko caught him almost smiling on several occasions, and his eyes were warm and gentle as he corrected the boy's grip on the bokken's hilt. As his fear of Battousai subsided, Yahiko's curiosity grew to fill the void. If Battousai really was as much a part of Kenshin as the rurouni, then why was he helping him to train like this? Kenshin *never* instructed him. He decided it was time to find out. "Hey, thanks for all your help, Kenshin."   
  
Battousai shrugged and casually propped his bokken on his shoulder. "You seemed like you needed it."  
  
"Yeah but…why?"  
  
Kenshin glanced at him curiously. "Why what?"  
  
"Why are you helping me like this? I know the rurouni wouldn't have."   
  
A shadow fell over Battousai's expression. He didn't seem surprised by the question. "No, I suppose he wouldn't have. He is too afraid."  
  
"Afraid? *Kenshin*? No way!"  
  
Battousai's reaction floored Yahiko; he actually laughed. It was more of an amused cough than a laugh, but nevertheless hearing *that* from Battousai was as unexpected as seeing Saitou give someone flowers just to be nice. Seeing Yahiko's poleaxed expression, the hitokiri smiled slightly. "I'm flattered Yahiko, but I know you know better. Himura Kenshin is a man like any other, and he fears many things. The rurouni doesn't teach you because he is afraid of you becoming too strong too quickly and gaining power before having the wisdom and maturity to use it."  
  
Yahiko's shock was immediately replaced by indignation. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? I'm not some stupid kid!"  
  
"Of course not," Kenshin relented, "that's not what I meant. You have a lot of talent Yahiko, enough to easily master Kamiya Kasshin Ryu in the next few years. It would be so easy for you to be tempted to use that strength unwisely, no matter how noble your intentions. He simply didn't want you to repeat his mistakes."   
  
"What, you mean being a hitokiri and all that? That's stupid! You know I would never kill someone with Kamiya Kasshin Ryu! There isn't even a reason to; it's not like there's a war going on right now. I'm not so weak I'd take the easy way out and kill to get what I want!" The minute the words left his mouth, Yahiko knew he'd said the wrong thing.   
  
Battousai's almost friendly demeanor quickly vanished as he drew in a sharp breath of anger. He glared at Yahiko with dangerous eyes. "Weak?" he whispered in a voice that was far too calm. "You think I killed out of weakness? Then you truly do not understand me, Myojin Yahiko."  
  
He took a nervous step backward. "H-hey look I shouldn't have said that, I'm sor—"  
  
"Do you really believe that?" Battousai interrupted harshly, "That all men kill simply out of weakness of spirit?"  
  
"No! I'm sorry, that was dumb thing to say, it's just you made it sound as if I were too weak to control myself, that I wouldn't know my own strength in a fight."  
  
"I never said *I* shared that opinion. It is the rurouni who feels that way. But while I understand his reasoning, I don't completely agree with it. Whether you are weak or strong has nothing to do with murder, Yahiko. Back then, I knew my strength. That was part of the problem. I knew I was not weak, and it was that arrogance that led to my role as hitokiri."  
  
Yahiko bowed his slightly. //So much for my perfect mentor…but I always knew he wasn't. I was just being childish. Even so, I have to ask. I have to know for sure. // "But…when you told us about the Bakumatsu, you said you killed to create a better Japan, that you wanted to help people."  
  
"My intentions were noble enough, but even though I was older than you at that time, I was still too young and naive to appreciate the power I wielded. I was so desperate to achieve my vision of a world where people could live without suffering I became blinded. I lost sight of the value of human life, and allowed myself to be used as a tool. I still suffer every day for that mistake and though it may seem foolish to you, the rurouni only wanted to spare you that kind of pain."  
  
Yahiko lowered his head even further so he didn't have to meet Battousai's unnerving gaze. "I see what you're saying but…we're in a time of peace. I don't have to make those kinds of choices. It's not the same."   
  
"No," Kenshin agreed quietly. "It isn't the same, at least not right now. But, just because we live in peace now doesn't mean we'll still be living happily tomorrow, or next week, or next year. War doesn't care about the happiness of people, and governments are fragile. At any moment the Meji may break, and so I am always prepared to fight. Anyone who wishes to be strong, like you, should be prepared to defend those he cares about. I am helping you today because I can't share in the rurouni's blind optimism. You shouldn't be denied the skills you may someday need to survive, and this is the first time I've been able teach you without his interference. Normally my opinion does not hold sway, so this was a rare opportunity."  
  
Yahiko was stunned by Battousai's words. //I already knew this, didn't I? All this time Kenshin's wanted to teach me, but because of his dream for a better world, he won't let himself. I didn't expect Battousai to sound so…familiar. Kenshin's said all this before, not with words, but with his actions. //  
  
Kenshin closed his eyes briefly against the conflict he saw in the boy's face. *Talk to Yahiko. He does not know you.* "Do you know what I am, Yahiko?"  
  
Yahiko blinked and raised his head, wondering if Kenshin was also a mind-reader. "No, not really I guess. I mean, it's strange hearing Kenshin talk like this. I thought he didn't believe that the world was a bad place."  
  
"Of course he does," Battousai said with surprising gentleness. "Neither of us are fools, and we have lived in the wider world too long to believe otherwise. Life is cruel, people are cruel…but the rurouni wants things to be different. It was that wish that created me in the first place."  
  
"What?"  
  
Kenshin tilted his head slightly to the side, his expression almost curious. "Tell me something, Yahiko. When you look at the Kenshin you know, do you see a killer? Do you see a man who has known nothing but the world's darkness for most of his life?"  
  
"…no."  
  
"That's because he's no killer, Yahiko. The Kenshin you see every day is no lie; he is the closest thing left to the man who existed before the Bakumatsu. He still has hope for the world, even after everything he's seen and done. It is not in his nature to harm others. But, because he wanted to help others so badly, and because the men he looked up to told him that murder was the only way he could make a difference, he was willing to make a sacrifice. He was willing to learn another way to think…to create a different belief within himself. The rurouni is far too gentle to ever harm another person, but to do his duty he had to. So he created a shield for himself, a persona that would allow him to do what was expected of him. That shield is me."   
  
//I knew that already. I *knew* that. // Yahiko looked up at the hitokiri and suddenly, instead of a stranger he saw *Kenshin* standing before him. "So…you *are* Kenshin, but you're a Kenshin who can kill?"   
  
"That's putting it a bit simply, but yes."  
  
Yahiko frowned slightly. The hitokiri had implied that the rurouni wouldn't kill, but he had never said what *he* thought. "But, just because you *can* kill doesn't mean you *will*, right? You wouldn't do anything the rurouni wouldn't…"  
  
Battousai sighed wearily. He figured Yahiko would ask him something like that, but he knew his answer. It hadn't changed in fifteen years. "I have always despised killing, and I avoid it whenever I can. But there isn't always another way out, Yahiko. Sometimes, situations arise that force a man to make a hard choice: kill to protect those he loves, or see them die in defense of a belief. If he couldn't find another way, the rurouni would allow those precious lives to be stolen from him. I on the other hand would kill to save them."  
  
//Wait, he can't mean…// "No," Yahiko whispered, realizing what Battousai was implying. "You can't do that, it would destroy him! You can't kill Yanagi!"  
  
"I may have no choice. Yanagi is a man who strikes because he is weak, and he will not stop until he reaches whatever insane goal he's set for himself."   
  
Yahiko felt sick at the idea of Kenshin killing anyone. The rurouni had worked so hard to banish the very philosophy Battousai was now following and he was suddenly, horribly sure that if Yanagi died the rurouni would not survive. If Battousai was his shield, then in their current state there was nothing to protect Kenshin's gentler half from the guilt of that man's death. //He's already broken down once, at Rakuninmura, and that was when he was whole! Where was Battousai then? // "You can't," Yahiko repeated fiercely, "you can't! Don't you get it? Killing Yanagi wouldn't just hurt Kenshin, it would hurt you too! Eventually the three of you will be whole again, and then you'll have to deal with that guy's death the same as the rurouni! And what about Kaoru, do you think *she* would agree with you? Killing is wrong, you both taught me that!"  
  
Battousai glared at him, but did not answer. Instead, slowly and deliberately, he dropped into battou-juutsu stance. Yahiko's eyes widened. "What are you doing?"  
  
Kenshin's voice was cold and detached. "Our session isn't finished yet. Let's see if you can apply what I just taught you." He paused for a moment, then added in a slightly gentler tone, "I've told you what I am, Yahiko. I meant what I said when I said you were strong. When your moment as a swordsman comes and others are depending on you, I trust you to make the right decision. In this situation, can you trust me to do the same?"  
  
Yahiko felt the conflict in his heart. //I don't want to have to trust someone who will kill…it's the wrong answer. It wouldn't solve anything. But…he's still Kenshin, and he's learned from his past mistakes. I have to believe in him. // "I trust you, Kenshin."  
  
Battousai nodded once in acknowledgment before leaping into motion.  
  
~*~  
  
He struck her again, but this time she didn't get back up. There was a long moment of silence as Yanagi hovered uncertainly over Akari's body. Now that her screams had stopped, the part of his mind that was lost in bloodlust was confused. Slowly his rational mind took over again, forcing the crazed haze that had enveloped his brain for the past several hours to clear. Reality came crashing back and Yanagi realized that his wife wasn't moving at all. Frantically he fumbled for her neck in the dark, and he was relieved when he felt a pulse under his fingers. "Akari, can you hear me? Akari?" He shook her gently, but only got a faint whimper of pain in response. Why had he hit her so hard? He hadn't meant to actually knock her out, only frighten her a little. //So Himura would get angry. That was the only reason. //   
  
It was then that he became fully aware of the wet blood on his hands. Akari's blood, all over him. //Oh gods…what have I done? // Suddenly afraid, Yanagi tried to think of what to do but his mind refused to work properly. Guilt tore at him without mercy. //I hurt her! I hurt her to get to Himura. Why did I do that? What's wrong with me? // He pressed his fingertips to his temples and moaned softly, terribly confused.  
  
The door exploded behind him.   
  
Yanagi whirled in place, still crouched, and stared up at the tall white-clothed man who now stood in the shattered doorway. He recognized him from the other night, the man who had been with Battousai. His brown eyes were now bright with anger, and as he stared past Yanagi they grew wide with shock. "Akari!"  
  
Sano took in Akari's state with a glance, and clenched his teeth in fury. //Damn it, there's blood all over her. Gotta make this quick. // "What the hell is going on here Yanagi? You made such a fuss over Battousai taking care of your woman and now you do *this*?" Sano brought his fists up and slammed them together, baring his teeth at the stunned-looking man who was still kneeling on the floor. "I'm so gonna kick your ass!"  
  
Sano waited for a response—any kind of response—but Yanagi just sat there, his gray eyes large and unfocused. He was breathing fast and he seemed to be in a state of panic. He stared at Sano uncomprehendingly, beads of sweat running down his pale face. "Yanagi! You listening?" Sano barked. Still no response. "Oi, I'm talking to *you* asshole! You gonna fight back or am I gonna kick your face in?"  
  
Yanagi blinked once. "No."  
  
"Which one?" Sano didn't wait for an answer this time; he rushed in and aimed a solid punch at Yanagi's jaw…  
  
…which suddenly was no longer there. Sano felt the air shift behind him and he spun around immediately, bringing up a kick to nail Yanagi in the gut. As he got a look at his opponent though, he realized his mistake; he was now facing with his back to the outer wall of the hotel. Sano suddenly remembered the rapid end to Battousai and Yanagi's fight the other night. //Oh man he's not going to…// "You're an ally of Himura's aren't you? You're not the one I want, get the hell out."  
  
There was no way to avoid it; Sano felt the invisible wave of ki hit him hard in the chest. As his feet left the ground he was reminded sharply of his fight with the warrior monk Anji; this blow was easily just as powerful. Sano hit the window, and then he was falling in a rain of glass. Operating completely on instinct he struck out for the windowsill with both hands and just managed to grab on. He could hear shocked screams from the people on the street below as he determinedly swung a leg over the sill and tumbled ungracefully back into the room.  
  
Yanagi stood in the doorway and watched in amazement as the street thug he'd just launched out the window quickly reappeared, bleeding slightly from the glass shards but otherwise unharmed. //He's tough. Figures he'd be one of Himura's friends. // Shouts from downstairs grabbed his attention and he could hear heavy feet coming up the stairs. Yanagi had forgotten about the lobby guards. He could count on one hand the number of physical fights he'd actually been involved in, and never once had he been one of the victors. He couldn't handle all of them at once; his ki blast had used up a lot of energy, and there was no way he could use another one so quickly. Glancing at Akari's prone form he made the only decision he could: he ran for it.   
  
Heart racing in panic, Yanagi abandoned his wife and darted out the door, running down the hallway as fast as he could from the shouts of the guards. Sprinting almost blindly, he found a back stairway at the other end of the building and raced down to ground level, escaping out into the street. Cursing himself all the way for his cowardice, Yanagi vanished into the vast city of Tokyo.  
  
~*~  
  
Sano stood in disbelief for a moment, staring at the spot where his enemy had just been. //He actually abandoned her? What the hell is going on here? // If there had ever been a doubt in his mind that Shimizu Yanagi was completely nuts, there sure wasn't any now. Unfortunately, it was Akari who had paid the price. //Shit, I knew something like this was going to happen. I have to get her out of here. // He walked carefully forward, painfully aware of the glass shards caught in his clothes, and knelt to pick her up.  
  
"You there, stop!"  
  
Sano looked up at the two hulking men who had appeared in the doorway, one of whom he recognized as the lobby guard he'd passed on the way up. // Oh crap. // He immediately began to talk in his defense, even as he gathered Akari into his arms. "Hey I didn't do this man, it was her husband! I came up to help her and he tried to chuck me out the window!" He nodded to his back. "Look at me! He ran off down the hallway when he heard you guys coming, if you don't hurry he'll get away!"  
  
One of the guards narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Oh is that so?"  
  
The other guard put up a hand. "Go see if there was someone else involved in this, I'll keep an eye on this one."  
  
Sano glared at him. "Didn't you see me come up? I only came in *after* she screamed. I told you I didn't do this!"  
  
The guard scowled. "That will be for the police to decide. We do not tolerate violence in this hotel, no matter the reason. I will have to take you into custody now, please put the woman down so we can send for a doctor."  
  
Sano straightened up, pulling Akari to his chest. "Sorry, but I can't let you do that. Our situation is a bit hard to explain, and she can't wait." Sano backed towards the window. //Man, Kenshin's gonna kill me when he finds out about this. //  
  
The guard's eyes widened in alarm as he saw where Sano was heading. "Wait, stop! You can't escape like that!"  
  
Sano cast him a bemused glance. "No worries buddy, I've been doing stuff like this since I was a kid. See ya." Sano turned, stepped up on the sill and jumped, holding Akari tightly to his chest. Landing catlike on his feet on the street below, he took off at a dead run for Megumi's clinic.  
  
~*~  
  
Yanagi raced randomly through the streets of Tokyo, not even looking where he was going. It had finally happened: he'd fallen as low as he could possibly go and allowed his obsession to harm the person he loved most in all the world. He'd just been so *angry* after that meeting with Battousai, his worry for Akari turning into an awful feeling of betrayal at her hands. When she'd finally appeared as a messenger for Himura that feeling had become overwhelming, and something in him had snapped. He'd beaten his own wife, possibly even killed her, and he didn't even understand why. For sure now Himura, or rather the three current forms of Himura, would come after him. //I made Japan's most powerful swordsman into triplets. What the hell was I thinking? // Like a true madman, he'd stirred the hornet's nest with no thought of the consequences…or who would have to pay the price of his foolishness. //God, I've become just like *him*. What have I done? //  
  
~1877~  
  
Yanagi shifted on his knees the dingy darkness of the bar, trying in vain to make himself more comfortable in the presence of the man sitting across from him. Politely he pushed a sake cup across the table and lifted a jug of the liquor to fill it, never once taking his eyes off his "guest". It had taken months of work to find the swordsman sitting in front of him, and he couldn't risk insulting him. The other man drank deeply, draining the cup quickly, and set it down to be refilled. "Ken-ki, eh? That's an interesting request. And why would you need something like that?"  
  
"I wish to challenge a certain man." Yanagi explained quietly. "Himura Battousai."  
  
Udou Jine paused in mid-swallow and met Yanagi's gaze, his eyes gleaming eerily though the mop of stringy gray hair that hung over his face. "Ah, the legendary hitokiri. Well I must say you're ambitious. Battousai is not a foe for the faint of heart."  
  
Yanagi learned forward. "You've fought him then?"  
  
Jine grunted. "No, but then I didn't have to. His reputation is known far and wide. Hell, even children know his name nowadays."  
  
Yanagi scowled. This was not new information. "I know that already! That was the case even when I knew him."  
  
Jine lifted his head slightly, eyes gleaming with interest. "You've actually met him face to face?"  
  
"Five years ago, in Hokkaido." Yanagi glanced out into the bar. "I would have known him anywhere. Red hair and crossed scars, just like the stories said."  
  
Jine chuckled, though there was no humor in the sound. "So what, may I ask, did he do to make you hate him so much you'd associate with someone like me?"  
  
Yanagi was genuinely taken aback by the question. "Hate him?"  
  
Jine leaned back with an amused grin. "Of course hate! That is the only reason anyone ever seeks that man out. The Hitokiri Battousai is not the kind of man to have friends and allies. Making enemies is his specialty, after all. Anyone with strength like his is to be both respected and jealously admired, but only men with something to prove seek his company. Which is why I'm puzzled by you; what could you possibly hope to use against the wielder of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu? You are no swordsman; I can tell just by looking at you."  
  
Yanagi looked down into his untouched sake. The truth stung; he had tried and failed to learn the sword many times over the years since he'd left Hokkaido, and it was a failure he didn't like to admit. The rogue hitokiri was certainly perceptive. "You are right, but his strength doesn't just lie with the sword. His spirit is powerful as well, and that is where I want to surpass him. I've thought of nothing else since the day I met him."  
  
Jine raised a slender gray eyebrow at him. "Spirited young pup, aren't you? But I can feel a strong ki from you; it has potential. So what exactly do you want, now that you have my attention?"  
  
"Help in locating Battousai…and training to strengthen my ki abilities."  
  
The assassin narrowed his eyes slightly. "The first is relatively simple; one only has to look and listen to find such a conspicuous man. But the second…my Shin no Ippo is my own, and I don't show it to others casually. My services will not come cheap."  
  
Yanagi nodded. Finally, an area he was good at. "I have more than enough money to pay you, just name your fee."  
  
Jine laughed again, leaning forward over the table until his face was just inches from Yanagi's. A chill ran down his spine at the crazed look in the other man's eyes. "Who said anything about money, runt? I kill men with too much money, it's delightfully easy. No, I want a different sort of payment."  
  
Jine described his terms, and Yanagi felt his stomach turn at the details of what he would have to do. He felt his resolve waver; this was not what he'd had in mind when he's asked for Jine's help, and as much as he desperately needed this training, he wondered just how far he was willing to go. //As far as it takes. // he thought darkly. His desire for strength wasn't just a want, it was a terrible *need*. Akari's love simply wasn't enough anymore; his soul cried out for something more, and he had grown desperate over his year-long search to find a swordsman who even knew what ken-ki *was*, much less be able to use it. What Jine was asking was almost out of the question, and would require him sinking to record depths to achieve more power, but it wasn't impossible. He was willing to do it. He was willing to do whatever was necessary.  
  
"I agree to your terms, Udou Jine-sama."  
  
~1879~  
  
Yanagi stumbled to a halt and fell to his knees beside one the small rivers that ran through Tokyo, letting out a strangled sob as memories of his association with Jine overwhelmed him. Shuddering, he buried his face in his hands. The hitokiri's training had carried a price all right, and it was a price that was steadily driving him insane.   
  
He'd always told himself it was worth it, that once he surpassed Battousai, in his mind the very epitome of strength and power, he could finally face Akari as a whole man. Until then, he'd promised himself, she'd be safe from his dark secrets, and from his abilities. For her, he'd maintain the face of the old Yanagi, the man she'd fallen in love with in the streets of Furano, just until he was strong enough to face her as himself. She would never know about Jine…but after he'd killed that old man in Osaka, the wall between himself and the man she knew as her husband had begun to break down. He'd started to use his abilities on her, more and more often…and now this had happened, his most terrible nightmare.  
  
Blood…his beloved's blood on his hands, and in his soul the blood of countless strangers. He had become what he most despised and admired. *He* was the murderer now, just like Battousai. But he still wasn't as strong; even after everything he had sacrificed, he still hadn't surpassed him. //Dammit, this wasn't how it was supposed to be! Akari…//  
  
Forcing himself to his feet, Yanagi again ran into the darkness, unaware of the spring rain that had begun to fall in the fading daylight.  
  
TBC…  
  
Unfortunately, RL doesn't look like it's letting up anytime soon. I have to start applying for colleges again and since I'm a hopeless procrastinator about things I don't find very much fun, it's going to take me awhile. I'm not going to be able to keep up my chapter-every-two-weeks pace, though I'll try not to make the gap as long as this one was -_-;; Thank you everyone for your support and reviews, I assure you this fic will be finished. I've come too far to turn back now! ^_^ The best part of the story (well in my biased opinion anyway) is coming up next! Next time: The spring rain brings only misery as Battousai learns Akari's fate. It's Battousai vs. (guess who! Hey you guys are smart, I bet you can guess ;) It's time for some action, see you for part 11!  
  
  
_______ 


	12. chapter 11

Prism   
By Calger459  
Chapter 11  
  
Conventions: *…* is emphasis, //…// is thoughts  
  
Welcome to the world's longest chapter…okay not *the* longest, but it's pretty darn long for me. There was so much to be covered in this section, and I just couldn't split it! Oh, and I don't hate Kenshin. I really don't! *huge sweatdrop* Okay that said, on with the fic!  
  
Disclaimer: *sigh* I don't own any aspect of RK, except for Akari and that baka Yanagi…  
  
~*~  
  
I'm gonna run, I'm gonna win  
I'm gonna do what I need to do  
'cause it's time to be what I need to be  
It's time to be what I need to be  
You can't tell me what to do anymore  
You can't tell me what to do anymore  
Now I'm free, now I'm free, now I'm free  
~VAST, "Free"  
  
"Mou! I can't believe it's raining again." Kaoru pressed her hand to the glass window in Megumi's clinic and stared out at the heavy downpour, which was steadily turning the unpaved street into a muddy quagmire. "We'll never get the shopping done at this rate."   
  
Kaoru felt a warm hand on her shoulder and she glanced behind her at Kenshin, who was smiling gently. "The rain never lasts forever." Kaoru stared into his dark violet eyes, which were filled with a deeper meaning. She knew what he was really trying to say, and she was glad for the quiet confidence in his gaze. //He's right, everything will work out for the best. I know it will. // She smiled happily in response, covering his hand with hers.  
  
In the back room of the clinic, Shinta sat on one of the low beds, swinging his short legs back and forth as Megumi organized one of her cabinets. She watched the boy out of the corner of her eye curiously. All the way to the clinic he had talked nonstop about everything and anything, just like a real child…until the rain had started. Then his voice had suddenly died off and for several moments after they'd arrived at the clinic he'd wandered about with a look of terrible worry on his face. They'd all asked what was wrong of course but, in typical Kenshin fashion, he'd refused to explain what was troubling him. //Strange boy, // she'd thought. Deciding to distract him, she's asked him to help clean her office. The ploy worked; his anxiety had vanished like so much smoke, and in his excitement he'd practically dragged her to the back of the clinic. Now he was gazing around the office with a look of innocent wonder, as if it were all new to him. Kenshin's situation was bizarre and a little frightening, but it was a relief to Megumi to notice just how much Shinta resembled the man she knew. He had Kenshin's cheerful smile, his cute little "oro!" and the carefree air that Kenshin only had when he played with children. Megumi smiled at him. "You seem happy, Shinta-kun, even though it's raining like this."  
  
The child grinned back at her. "Yeah, everything's going well."  
  
Megumi blinked at that. //'Everything'? I wouldn't say that… // She shrugged. "Well, except for the shopping I guess, but I'm sure that silly tanuki girl will manage somehow."   
  
Shinta stopped swinging his feet and looked sharply in her direction. "You shouldn't say things that aren't nice, Megumi-san."  
  
She caught her breath at the reproach in his voice; it was a tone she rarely heard from Kenshin. "It's never bothered you before…Ken-san."   
  
The boy smiled mysteriously, unsurprised by the change in name. "I rarely say what bothers me, you know that. Kaoru-san's strong enough to stand up for herself, but you still shouldn't call her names. This whole time, she's been strong enough for all three of me. "  
  
Megumi stared dumbly at him, unnerved by the thinly veiled reprimand, and by the very adult tones it had been delivered in. Seeing her expression, Shinta's frown vanished, replaced by a sunny smile. "Don't worry about it," he said confidently. "Everything will be fine. I made sure."  
  
She walked over and crouched down in front of the tiny boy. "Made sure of what?"  
  
Shinta leaned forward very close, until she could feel his warm breath on her face. He gave her a sly wink and held up a finger in front of his mouth. "Secret," he whispered with a delighted giggle.  
  
Megumi's eyes widened slightly. "What are you?"  
  
Shinta smiled at her with familiar violet eyes. "Who can say?" he asked quietly. He scooted sideways and hopped off the bed, trotting to the front room. Megumi stared after him for a moment before following in confused silence.   
  
~*~   
  
Yanagi intensified his ki to warm himself as the rain soaked heavily into his back, shivering only slightly in the downpour. He was exhausted both in mind and body, the events of the day sapping his strength. He stopped and rested for a moment under a tree. Leaning his head back against the damp bark he breathed deeply and gathered his reserves, trying to recover some of his energy. He couldn't afford to give in to tiredness. This day was far from over, and he was steadily running out of options. He was furious with himself at how badly he'd botched this entire plan. Both Akari and Himura were completely out of his control now, and he wasn't sure what to do. He bowed his head, cursing his lack of self-control. Akari, *that* was where he had gone wrong. From the beginning, he should have made a clear choice: Akari's happiness, or his own strength. It was trying to cater to both that had landed him in his current situation, and he held no illusions now about which goal was more important to him. It was pointless to feel remorse over what he had done to her; the inescapable fact was that the entire unfortunate incident had been born out of his own weakness. If he had been stronger he would not have hurt her; if he had been stronger Himura would already be defeated. Bringing Akari with him had been a mistake; he should have left her behind in Osaka. Yanagi shook his head sharply. What-ifs were pointless now. What was done was done, and he still had so much farther to go.   
  
He lifted his head and stared out into the gathering darkness, his face resolved. It was time to end this. One way or the other, he would win. Three Himuras didn't matter; in fact it was better. It simply increased the challenge, and would make his final victory all the more satisfying. //Himura, all this began with you, and it will end with you as well. //  
  
Decision made, Yanagi pushed himself away from the tree and headed for the Kamiya dojo. When he finally arrived at the gates he walked up to them without hesitation. They swung open easily at his touch, unlocked. //So someone is home. Good. // He stepped inside and extended his senses. The dojo appeared to be deserted, except for two ki auras inside the training hall. He studied the impressions closely. One was definitely Himura, though he couldn't tell which one. No matter how different they were in appearance and mindset, all three were essentially the same person, with identical auras. Given the closeness of Himura's three selves, his request to be restored to his original state probably wasn't all that unreasonable; Yanagi simply had no interest in doing so. For him, his ki abilities had always been a means to an end, nothing more. Himura's current state gave him a rare tactical advantage. Right now the swordman's mind was scattered and confused. If Yanagi ever had a chance to prove himself against Himura, this was it. Weighing his options, he decided to avoid confrontation for the moment, at least until he could figure out which of the three he was dealing with. Stepping up onto the porch of the house, he headed inside.  
  
Yanagi wandered through the narrow hallways for several moments, not looking for anything in particular. It was to all appearances a normal Japanese home, with a modest kitchen and a few small bedrooms. Arranged flowers decorated the receiving room, a pair of baskets held laundry, and someone hadn't finished washing the breakfast dishes. There was nothing special about this place, nothing out of the ordinary to indicate that a retired hitokiri lived here, and Yanagi vaguely wondered why he had expected otherwise. Shrugging mentally, he slid open a door and found himself in what could only be Himura's bedroom. It was the same size as the others, neatly arranged and simply adorned, but what marked it as his was the sword propped in an elegant stand against one wall. Raising a curious eyebrow, Yanagi wandered over and studied it. The Sakabatou, he realized, running a hand over the worn scabbard.  
  
~*~  
  
Yahiko frantically dodged Battousai's sweeping strike, which he was sure had been aimed to miss, and almost tripped, regaining his balance with a clumsy hop. Heart pounding, his sweaty hands slipping on the bokken's smooth hilt, he struggled to think of an effective counterattack. Battousai was clearly play-fighting with him, holding back to only a fraction of his true ability. Even so, he was almost too fast for Yahiko's eye to follow, and his every strike aimed true. Yahiko could feel the spots where he knew he would have bruises tomorrow, and he was irked by the fact that he yet to land a single blow on the hitokiri. He would have to match Kenshin's speed somehow; it was the only way. His opponent smiled slightly at him. "You're doing well, Yahiko."  
  
"Are you kidding? I can't even touch you!"  
  
"Maybe not, but you're getting closer with every pass. Come at me again."  
  
Yahiko readied himself, then shot forward. He tried to imagine himself the way Kenshin moved, as light as air, his movements perfectly fluid. There was a whirl of motion in front him and he felt the tip of Kenshin's bokken at his neck…again. "You were leading with your shoulder again. Even without ki, I can read your intentions easily when you do things like that. Keep your chest square to me. Try again."  
  
"Yes sir," Yahiko muttered sullenly, resuming his stance. He charged again, trying to keep Kenshin's advice in mind. As he drew closer, bokken raised high, he realized that Kenshin wasn't even paying attention to him. The hitokiri's head was turned to the side, staring at the wall of the dojo, a startled look on his face. //What the hell's he doing? // Expecting another deception, apparently Kenshin's specialty when he sparred, Yahiko didn't slow down. He was astonished when he brought the bokken down smartly on top of Kenshin's head; he hadn't even tried to dodge the strike.  
  
"AHH!" Yahiko dropped the sword in shock and leapt backward. "Kenshin, what are you doing?! I'm sorry!"  
  
Battousai sat on the floor where he'd landed, holding his head and blinking rapidly. "What was that?" he growled, obviously in pain.  
  
Panicking, Yahiko bowed frantically. //Shit, I hit Battousai on the head! Shit! // "I'm so sorry, but you didn't move!"  
  
Kenshin stared at him in surprise. "That's not…it's all right, Yahiko. I felt something strange just now." Apparently unfazed by the strike Kenshin stood, rubbing his head vaguely.  
  
"What are you talking about? I thought you were standing there on purpose!"  
  
Kenshin wasn't listening; he was staring at the wall again, eyes narrowed in concentration. "There's someone in the house."  
  
Yahiko frowned. "Hey, are you okay? I thought you couldn't sense ki anymore…"  
  
"I can," Kenshin whispered softly, "but it's very weak, too weak to be of use in a battle. But just now…" Abruptly he whirled to look at the niche in the dojo wall where the ceremonial scroll hung. Following his gaze, Yahiko saw the daisho that had belonged to Kaoru's father, sitting below the scroll on a display stand. Kenshin walked over and stood in front of the shrine, his expression torn. After a moment he quickly knelt and lifted the katana from its rack.  
  
Yahiko's eyes widened in horror. "What are you doing? You can't take that!"  
  
Kenshin turned and fixed him with a fierce glare, even as he slid the sword through the belt of his hakama. "Whoever is in the house they are not friendly, and I will not go unarmed. Come."  
  
~*~  
  
Outside, the storm was growing fiercer. Sheets of rain lashed against the thin shoji doors, and flashes of lightning illuminated the room where Yanagi knelt, waiting. The minute he had touched the Sakabatou he'd felt a sharp flare of awareness from the ki in the training hall. //So, he has a true connection with his sword. Interesting. // He hadn't really meant to attract Himura's attention so quickly, but he wasn't regretting it either. Patiently he waited as the ki left the training hall and came towards the house, increasing in strength as it moved. The ki entered the house and began a systematic search of the rooms. It was easy to track such a powerful presence; it was one of the first skills he'd refined and mastered under Jine's tutelage. It was only later that those skills had been put to a more sinister use… //No! Stop thinking about that. He's here. // Himura stopped right outside the room, and Yanagi closed his eyes as he heard the door slide open.  
  
The tense breath he'd been holding was quickly released when he felt cold steel at his neck. Opening his eyes he could see the Sakabatou untouched in front of him. That could only mean one thing…  
  
"What are you doing?" Battousai's voice was colder than the naked blade in his hand.   
  
Yanagi didn't dare move. There was only the goal, he reminded himself. That was all that mattered. "You move quickly; I thought you were still in the dojo."  
  
"Don't lie to me, you knew I was coming. What are you doing in my house?"  
  
Yanagi kept his eyes trained forward. "Looking for my wife."  
  
"Another lie; if she was here you would have known it. Besides, I thought she went to see you this morning."  
  
Yanagi's eyes widened slightly. "You don't know, do you?"  
  
"Know what?"  
  
There was a long pause. "Take this sword off my neck, Himura. You shouldn't have a katana in your hands anyway."  
  
"I thought we settled this point last time, Yanagi. If you're betting your life on a mere promise then you're even more foolish than I thought."  
  
"Killing me won't change anything," Yanagi said in a dull voice. Briefly he glanced at the open doorway, where he could see a young boy standing with a terrified look on his face. //So that's Himura's ward, eh? Poor kid, but if he knows what's good for him he'll stay put. //  
  
"No, your death won't change anything, that is if what you said the other night is true, which I somehow doubt. You put me in this situation, therefore you must have some idea of a way out of it. But if you aren't willing to help me, then I still have an obligation to end your threat. I've killed men for far less than what you've done to me."  
  
Yanagi narrowed his eyes slightly. "That seems a strange thing to say, coming from you. I thought you'd be pleased by the opportunity I've handed you. After all, you're free now."  
  
There was long silence, during which the pressure of the blade increased significantly. "Idiot. Who said I wanted to be free in the first place?"  
  
Yanagi swallowed hard against the blade, which was biting painfully into his skin. "But I thought…"  
  
"Everyone thinks they know me so well," Battousai said in growing fury. "You think working at the same inn with a man for a few months is enough time to understand him? You think you're privy to my wants and desires? You know nothing. The three of us had finally achieved a balance, a balance *you* destroyed, and you will pay for your meddling, one way or the other."  
  
Yanagi clenched his fists in his lap. Battousai's sword was against his neck in such a way that if he let off a ki blast now, he'd probably get his head sliced off. It was time to toss the dice. "Fine, but if you're going to challenge me, then at least do it as one. Where are the other two?"  
  
"You have no need to know." The hitokiri's voice was suddenly in his ear, and the sword's edge burned against his neck. "But you have a point. We'll make this a little game, Yanagi. You run, and I hunt you down like the animal you are. I suggest you find the rurouni yourself if you want to save your worthless neck." The sword was lifted and Battousai appeared in Yanagi's vision, standing protectively in front of the Sakabatou. "Run. Now."  
  
The hitokiri's voice held a cold note of command that left no room for argument. //This is what I wanted, // Yanagi reminded himself, trying to stop his body from shaking. //I have to prove that I'm stronger. I can win this game. // Jumping to his feet, he ran for it, knocking the boy in the doorway harshly out of the way.  
  
Battousai stared after him, re-sheathing the katana with a sharp *snap*. "Idiot," he snarled. Turning around, he picked up the Sakabatou and slid it through his belt as well. Heading for the door he paused by Yahiko, who was still sitting where Yanagi had knocked him down. His head was bowed. "Go ahead of me to the clinic," he instructed coldly. "They won't be shopping in this weather. Tell the rurouni I'm bringing Yanagi to him." The boy didn't answer. "I asked you to trust me. Now please hurry." He didn't wait for a reply.  
  
For a few moments after he left Yahiko sat in the darkness, listening to the rain pound against the roof. He felt like crying in frustration, though he knew that would be useless. "Why?" he whispered to no one. "Why couldn't I stop him?"   
  
~*~  
  
Sano cursed the pouring rain as he almost slipped for the third time. He had stopped only once, to drape his shirt over the still unconscious Akari, and now he was soaked to the skin and freezing cold. The route back to the clinic seemed to be taking forever, and he couldn't hold back a cry of relief when he finally saw the shape of the clinic rise in the distance. He didn't slow down as he approached the door; in one swift motion he turned his body and rammed it open with his shoulder, badly startling the people inside and spraying them with rain. Shinta was the only one who didn't look surprised to see him. He lifted his hand in a small wave. "Hi, Sanosuke-san."  
  
"Sano…?"The rurouni blinked uncomprehendingly.  
  
Sano's patience finally snapped. "What the hell are you all standing around for?! She's badly hurt!"  
  
"Akari-san?" Kaoru gasped.  
  
"What happened?" the rurouni asked immediately, running forward to help. He was roughly knocked aside by Megumi.  
  
"I'll handle this Ken-san! Sano, lay her down. Ken-san, get something to dry this rooster-head off with. Kaoru-chan, hot water! Hurry, all of you!" The assembled Kenshin-gumi obeyed without question, scattering to their various tasks. In the clinic Megumi's word was law, and no one doubted her expertise in this situation.  
  
Shinta backed quietly away from the chaos, knowing he would only be in the way, and sat himself in a corner, watching the unmoving woman on the bed with anxious eyes. No one needed to ask the details; there was only one person who could have done this to her. //It's our fault isn't it? We let her go alone… // Shinta curled up in his spot, arms wrapped tightly around his knees. He was painfully aware of the mental states of everyone in the room. Their anger and fear washed over him with terrible intensity, and he buried his head in his knees in a futile attempt to shut the chaotic emotions out. He felt sick with the knowledge that this probably could have been prevented. //Battousai-san was right, wasn't he? We didn't listen. It's all our fault… //  
  
~*~  
  
//This is stupid. How the hell am *I* supposed to know where that damn rurouni is? // Yanagi jogged away from the dojo, trying to avoid the muddier spots along the road. He turned down the first street he came to and ran down a road lined with houses. Spotting movement out of the corner of his eye, he turned his head to see a dark shadow leaping through the curtain of rain, high above on a nearby rooftop. Sucking in an irritated breath, he put on an extra burst of speed and ran through the neighborhood to a more crowded area, with narrow streets and numerous alleys. Choosing an alley at random he darted down the narrow passage. He came out the other side only to see the shadow standing on an opposite rooftop, waiting patiently for him to appear. Stifling a curse, Yanagi turned around and ran back, choosing another street to flee down.   
  
The random pursuit continued for several minutes; just when he thought he'd finally lost him, Battousai would appear, racing across the rooftops like some demented squirrel, forcing him in a new direction. It soon became clear that he was being steered somewhere. He wasn't very familiar with this part of Tokyo, and he was surprised when another avenue of escape from his deadly shadow led him straight into the center of the local market. //Where the hell is driving me to? // Yanagi ducked under an overhang and stared warily out at the rooftops. He tried to feel for Himura's ki but there was nothing, only the faint vibrations from the people hidden within the buildings. The cold and the wet were finally starting to get to him. Shivering inside his soaked clothes, he debated his next course of action. He was going to make himself ill if he stayed out for much longer. He could escape inside and end this game, but he was sure Himura would follow. He had foolishly agreed to play by the assassin's rules, and the consequences for breaking them were probably very unpleasant. Shaking off his discomfort he continued slowly up the street, trying to stay out of the rain. A faint sound from above him was the only warning he had before a black shadow dropped down in front of him. Yanagi bit his lip hard to keep from crying out. Hastily he backed away from the shadow's gleaming yellow eyes, which seemed to glow in the twilight. "Taking our time, are we?"  
  
Yanagi glared at him. "Where are you leading me to? Out of this rain I hope."  
  
"Oh poor Yanagi, put off by a little water," Battousai hissed mockingly. "We're almost there, but we can't continue if you won't play the game." There was an unpleasant rasp of wet steel leaving its sheath. "I'm getting impatient."  
  
~*~  
  
  
Battousai smirked in satisfaction at the terrified yelp his quarry let out as he struck at him with the sword. It was a slow strike, intended to miss. He had no intention of hurting Yanagi—not yet anyway. The attack was just to scare him. Eyes wide with panic, his prey threw himself out of the way of the sword and fled back out into the street. Kenshin waited a few seconds for Yanagi to pick a direction, then pursued him at a leisurely pace.  
  
Battousai's smirk shifted into an unnerving grin. He was enjoying this. Watching this fool of a man race around like a frightened rabbit was immensely satisfying. Yanagi deserved to feel some of what *he* had been experiencing these past few days. Since his separation from the other two Kenshins he had felt open and exposed, with nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Thanks to Yanagi, he had been revealed for all his family to see and now they feared and distrusted him, all because he could not respond to them the way the rurouni could. That knowledge hurt worse than any sword wound, and the desire for revenge sang hot in his blood. This weak, pathetic man would pay for his crimes, and it would be Battousai who determined the punishment.   
  
In the end, he was an assassin, pure and simple. He chose a target, tracked it, and found the most efficient way to dispose of it. It was a liberatingly simple mindset, one that had served him well in the past. A very small part of his mind expressed concern over this line of thinking. He had long ago sworn that he was done with ruthless tactics like these. All human lives had worth; he had learned that the hard way. It was not his place to judge others. Doing so caused the misery he inflicted to rebound back on him, and on those he cared about. He knew this, he knew this with Himura Kenshin's knowledge, but all the same he shrugged off that small voice. It was the rurouni's job to worry about the morals and ethics of battle. Battousai's job was to do what needed to be done, and right now Yanagi deserved some serious payback. Leaping back up to the rooftops he continued herding his prey toward the clinic, using the most roundabout route he could come up with. After all, he had to give his messenger time to do his job.  
  
~*~  
  
Yahiko didn't even bother to knock as he reached the clinic at a dead run. Throwing the door open he stood for a second in the entrance, trying to catch his breath. Five heads turned his way and he met Megumi's indignant glare. "Is *anyone* going to knock today? Come in quickly Yahiko-kun, before you make us all catch cold!"   
  
Slowly, he closed the door. Everyone was seated around one of the beds, their faces grim. Realizing something was very wrong, Yahiko walked up to them and looked at the woman lying on the bed. The bandages covering her did nothing to hide how swollen and bruised her face was. He remembered Yanagi's strange words to Battousai. *"You don't know, do you?"* "Is that…Akari-san?"  
  
The rurouni looked up at him, his eyes full of remorse. "Where is Kenshin, Yahiko?"  
  
The boy didn't answer immediately. He clenched a furious fist at his side. "Yanagi did this, didn't he?"  
  
"Most likely," Kenshin said softly, rising from his seat. "Why are you here?"  
  
"Yanagi showed up at the dojo," Yahiko said dully, still looking at Akari. "Battousai said to tell you he was bringing him here."  
  
There was stunned silence. Kenshin made a strangled, angry noise and headed for the door. He flung it open and stared out at the darkened street. It was empty. Slowly, the rurouni turned his head to look at Yahiko. The boy was startled by the cold anger in his mentor's eyes. "What happened?"  
  
"I'm not sure," Yahiko admitted softly. "The other Kenshin kept saying how no one understood him, how everyone kept acting like they knew what he wanted. Yanagi thought he would be glad to be free of you…but Battousai said he never wanted to be free in the first place."  
  
The rurouni frowned slightly. "I knew that already."  
  
Kaoru's eyes widened in surprise. "But, the way he's been acting…"  
  
"He's been put in a position he doesn't like," the rurouni said thoughtfully, half to himself. "Usually it's me that makes the decisions. He likes the freedom he has now, but he is also frightened by it. Yanagi has made things very difficult for him."  
  
"He follows your commands doesn't he?" Sano asked from Akari's bedside. There was a slight note of accusation in his voice. "Then, and now. He acts under your will. You said it yourself: he does what you can't."  
  
Kenshin looked out into the street, his face uncertain. "Maybe, I don't know. I don't know anything anymore."  
  
"Look!" Shinta piped up from his position near the door. He was pointing outside.  
  
Everyone gathered at the door just as a flash of lightning illuminated the street, revealing a figure moving slowly toward them, stumbling slightly in the thick mud. Several paces from the clinic he stopped and looked up. Kaoru took in the lanky man's bedraggled appearance, and how he kept glancing nervously over his shoulder, as if he were being pursued. "Kenshin, is that…?"  
  
"Shimizu Yanagi."  
  
Hearing his name, Yanagi suddenly looked relieved. He bounded up to the door. "Himura-san, thank goodness! You have to stop him; he's out of his mind!"  
  
Kenshin's grip tightened visibly on the doorframe. Though the others couldn't see his face, they could see Yanagi's reaction. The man paled and stepped back, the hope draining from his face. "You dare ask *me* for help?"  
  
"You don't understand; he's going to kill me!" Yanagi said desperately, casting another anxious glance over his shoulder.   
  
The rurouni glared at him. "As I recall, you're the one who let him out of his cage, Yanagi. If you're so afraid of him, then maybe you ought to put him back."   
  
"I can't do that!"  
  
"Tell that to him." The rurouni was looking up the street. A shadow had appeared among the buildings. Battousai was walking steadily towards them, his sword out and ready. As he approached the wind picked up, blowing his long ponytail out to the side, and another flash of lightning illuminated his eerie golden eyes, which seemed to glow in the shadows of his face. It was a striking image, and Kaoru felt herself swallow nervously. Before she had met Kenshin, this was how she had always pictured the legendary hitokiri in her mind. Not as a human being, but as a vengeful demon.   
  
Battousai stopped a short distance away from them, his expression blank. The rain had lessened to a misty drizzle. Water dripped steadily off his long bangs and ran in rivulets down the blade of his sword. Kaoru stared at the weapon in his hand and felt her heart seize. That was no Sakabatou…it was a katana. A very familiar katana. "That's my father's sword!"  
  
"It's not my fault!" Yahiko said quickly. "I told him not to take it!"  
  
"Yahiko." Battousai's voice held a clear warning. He fixed his fierce gaze on Yanagi.  
  
Sano stepped outside and addressed the hitokiri. "Hold on a minute Kenshin, I've got a bone to pick with this jerk." He strode over to Yanagi. "You lousy piece of scum. Where do you get off treating Akari like that?" The former streetfighter ground his knuckles together and loomed over the shorter man. "You disgusting little—"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Battousai interrupted.  
  
Yanagi stood firm, his eyes defiant. "I suppose she's dead then."  
  
"No," came Megumi's voice from the doorway. "She is inside. She is seriously injured, but her wounds will heal…eventually."  
  
Something briefly flickered through Yanagi's eyes. "I see," he stated simply.  
  
Battousai stared at the man before him, terrible realization dawning. "You beat her…why would do such a thing? I was under the impression that you cared about your wife."  
  
Yanagi's expression was as blank as the hitokiri's. "That is between me and her. She has nothing to do with this."  
  
//I let her go, // Battousai thought furiously, clenching a fist at his side. //I let her go and now…//  
  
The rurouni interrupted his thoughts. "That is where you're wrong, Yanagi. Step aside Sano, this fight is ours."  
  
Sano stepped back reluctantly. "Fine," he growled. "But if you end up leaving this slimeball alive I get the rest of him. No one harms innocent women while I'm around."  
  
The rurouni smiled grimly. "Fair enough, I suppose." He walked over to stand by his counterpart. Wordlessly, Battousai pulled the Sakabatou from his belt and handed it to him. The rurouni accepted it, but he couldn't keep the disapproval from his face. "What are you doing with Kamiya-san's sword?" He asked quietly.  
  
Battousai sighed in exasperation. "Look, I needed a weapon and it was the only one available. Deal with it."  
  
"You two going to fight or argue?" Yanagi called arrogantly. His powerful blast of ki an instant later took them both by surprise. Battousai managed to keep his footing, sliding back through the mud, but the rurouni was knocked down, the Sakabatou flying out of his hand. His expression determined, Yanagi walked forward and picked up the sword where it had landed. A strange blue aura surrounded his body now and it seemed to act like a shield, sending the rain sheeting off him. "That was pathetic. If you want me dead so badly, Battousai, then come at me with that katana of yours. I'm done running."  
  
"About damn time!" the hitokiri shouted. He charged forward, ignoring the rurouni's yell of protest. //Idiot, arguing at a time like this! I don't care who it belonged to, a sword is still a sword. // Yanagi raised his weapon as he approached, and while it was clear he'd had some training since Kenshin had known him in Hokkaido, his stance was still awkward. //He challenges me when he can't even use a sword? // Suspicious of a trick, the hitokiri kept a wary eye on the glow of ki surrounding his opponent. He'd underestimated Yanagi's strength once before at the hotel; he would not make the same mistake again.  
  
The next few moments were blur of attack and counterattack. Mentally, the hitokiri cursed his inability to read ki effectively. Yanagi was quite fast, and he managed to parry the first few blows. When Kenshin tried a Ryu Tsui Sen, he hit the aura surrounding Yanagi. It was like striking a brick wall. Giving a yell of surprise, he planted both feet against the barrier and pushed off, flipping backwards though the air to land on his feet in the thick mud. He spared a brief glance at the rurouni, who was standing silently to one side, watching the fight with calm eyes. //This one is yours, // his expression seemed to say. Battousai's eyes widened slightly. //He's allowing me to act independently? // Surprised, he turned his attention back to Yanagi, who was standing with the Sakabatou propped casually on one shoulder.  
  
"Defensive ki, another gift from Jine!" Yanagi shouted, now waving the Sakabatou mockingly. "What do you think?"  
  
"That you're a damn freak!" the hitokiri hollered spitefully, feeling his temper starting to boil over. This man was making him look like a fool. //I can't use ki in return, I can't do *anything*. Now what? //   
  
"Now," Yanagi announced boldly, apparently enjoying himself, "something I learned from you!" He lifted the Sakabatou high, then struck. The hitokiri's eyes widened in alarm. //Do Ryu Sen!//  
  
A wall of mud came rushing at him, slamming into his body full force and knocking him off his feet. "Kenshin!" came a twin cry from both the rurouni and Shinta.  
  
Battousai rolled over in the muck. He couldn't hear the cries of his counterparts. His ears were full of mud, and there was a vague ringing in his ears. //I'm losing. // He felt his anger burn hotter than the lightning that filled the sky, driving the chill of the rain away. Akari's gentle face appeared in his mind's eye, covered in blood. //I let her go this morning, when I knew what he would do. I *knew*. // Gritting his teeth, he hissed in rage that directed both at himself and at Yanagi. //I can't lose to this bastard! I *will* not lose! //  
  
Gripping his sword tightly, he turned to glare at his enemy. A single whispered phrase carried through the darkness. "I'll kill you."  
  
~*~  
  
"What was that?" Yanagi called, laughter in his tone.   
  
The rurouni, however, had heard his counterpart loud and clear. //Oh gods no… // He looked at Yanagi, and saw that the fool had dropped his guard. In that instant, Battousai seized his chance. The rurouni felt his stomach tighten in fear, powerless to do anything but watch as the hitokiri flew forward in a spray of rain and soil. //Please don't do this! //   
  
In an instant it was over. The Sakabatou lay several feet away and Yanagi was on his back in the mud, the hitokiri's katana at his neck. The Kenshin-gumi stood frozen. Kaoru's hands had flown to her mouth and she'd taken a single step forward into the street. She stared at the gleaming blade in her husband's hands, which hovered less than a hair's breadth above Yanagi's throat. "I'll kill you," Battousai whispered again, but there was an odd note in his voice that startled the rurouni. He couldn't see his face; it was bowed low, his long red bangs covering his eyes. The sword trembled above Yanagi's neck as Battousai's arms shook with the effort of holding his strike back.  
  
"What's going on?" Sano asked. "Why is he hesitating?"  
  
Slowly, Battousai lifted his head and fixed Kenshin with a look of pure venom. His golden eyes were glazed and maddened…and also frustrated. He gritted his teeth, his two-handed grip on the katana's hilt white-knuckled. The blade trembled even more violently.   
  
Slowly, Kaoru lowered her hands and looked at the rurouni in realization. "Is it because of you?"  
  
The rurouni expression was grim as he met Battousai's eyes. "It's your choice," he whispered.  
  
"DAMN YOU!" the hitokiri shrieked. The katana lifted, then swung downwards. There was no hesitation this time.  
  
//It is your choice, but still…// The rurouni felt his body move on its own, independent of his thoughts. He covered the distance to his counterpart in a heartbeat, and before he knew what was happening he was behind Battousai, one arm wrapped around his neck, the other holding his sword hand, preventing the blade from falling.  
  
"*Kenshin!*" Kaoru started forward, but Sano held her back with a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him angrily, but he just shook his head and pointed. Following his gaze, she stared at the pair. They struggled against each other with legs locked, their strength equal.   
  
Battousai strained against the rurouni, his whole body shaking with the effort. "Let go of me, dammit! LET GO!"  
  
"I won't let you do this!" The rurouni's face was determined, and he tightened his grip.   
  
"You said it was my choice!" the hitokiri screamed, his terrifying gaze fixed on Yanagi, who continued to lay there watching the pair in astonishment. "You liar!"  
  
"Don't do something you will only regret later!" The rurouni said desperately.   
  
"Shut up!" Battousai pulled forward until they were both bending over Yanagi. The sword was still dangerously close to the man's neck. "I *hate* this, I hate it! I shouldn't have to exist like this! It's all his fault. He deserves to die, for what he did to *her* if for nothing else!"   
  
Yahiko watched the confrontation in amazement. This Battousai was completely different from the man he'd sparred with in the dojo. //He's completely lost his reason, hasn't he? I think he really meant what he said to me before, about not wanting to kill, but now it's like he's forgotten all of it…just like in his duel with Saitou. When he's in the fight, none of that moral stuff matters anymore. But at the same time…he's fighting because he's upset over Akari. He's trying to defend her, just like Kenshin would. //  
  
"Don't give me that crap!" The rurouni exploded. "I *know* you don't really believe that! Next you'll be telling me you don't regret any of the lives that you've taken!"  
  
Suddenly, instead of straining forward, Battousai shoved backwards, ramming his elbow hard into Kenshin's gut. The rurouni fell back with a choked cry. The hitokiri whirled on him, Yanagi temporarily forgotten, his blade raised menacingly. "Shut up! *You* were just as responsible for those lives as me! Stop with the damn high and mighty act already!"   
  
"Kenshin-san!" Shinta yelled from the sidelines. Their anger assaulted his mind, and the pain was becoming unbearable. He crouched down in the doorway, both hands pressed to his head. "Don't say things like that!"  
  
The rurouni glared at Yanagi. "Get out of here, idiot! We'll settle this later! If you value your life then *get out *."  
  
Yanagi didn't need to be told twice; scrambling to his feet, he ran for it. Sano watched him go; as much as he wanted to go pound the bastard flat, Kenshin was right. This was his fight alone, and right now there were more important concerns than Yanagi.  
  
"NO!" Battousai yelled, starting to run after him. The rurouni ran in front of him, grabbing the Sakabatou where it had fallen. He raised the sword and stood in the hitokiri's way. Battousai stopped and lifted his own weapon, his eyes dangerous. "Get out of my way. I'm not letting him get away *again*!"  
  
"Well I am," the rurouni said with icy calm. "We cannot face him like this."  
  
"Like hell we can't!" the hitokiri snarled, sliding the katana back into its sheath. "You are not my keeper!"  
  
"Yes I am, because we are one; you and Shinta and I. We are responsible for each other, and I cannot allow you to behave like this. You asked me before how I intended to rein you in. Well this is how; the precise method really is up to you."  
  
"Don't patronize me!" Battousai spat. He lunged at the rurouni, his sword flying out in a blindingly fast battou-juutsu. Kenshin only barely managed to block the blow. "I'm free of you! You said it was my fight; you had no right to stop me!"  
  
"It is *our* fight, and you," the rurouni said evenly, "are not in your right mind. That is no way to fight a duel, and you know it."  
  
"Shut up!" the hitokiri snarled. He struck again and the two swordsmen flew around each other in the rain. To the Kenshin-gumi, they were nothing but streaks of color. Seconds later they sprang apart, both breathing heavily.  
  
"Damned lack of ki," Battousai snarled. "I should have kicked your ass by now."  
  
"We are one!" the rurouni insisted, his face pained. "We shouldn't fight each other like this!"  
  
"Then *you* shouldn't have let him get away!" Battousai pointed his sword at Kenshin accusingly. "You've betrayed all of us, and Akari as well! I knew she shouldn't have gone alone this morning, but instead of stopping her I chose to listen to you. Once again, we have failed to protect someone who was relying on us."  
  
"Hey, I was with her!" Sano yelled. "I was the one who was too late to stop him, Kenshin. If you want to blame someone, blame me!"  
  
"Fighting you is a waste of time," Battousai growled.   
  
"Maybe you're right," the rurouni said quietly, ignoring Sano's offended protest. "Maybe we did fail her, but listen to yourself! I am not your enemy, and you aren't mine!"  
  
"Don't tell me who the enemy is! You are preventing justice! If he is allowed to live, his crimes will only get worse!"  
  
Kenshin's eyes glinted an angry blue. "So, just because you *can* kill, you will? You know better than that! His death will solve nothing."  
  
"Idiot!" Battousai launched himself into the air. The rurouni's words, words he'd heard now from both Yahiko and Yanagi, infuriated him. Why wouldn't they let him end this threat that was causing them so much suffering? He fell through the rain, the katana aimed at the rurouni's shoulder. "Don't tell me what to do!"  
  
"Stop fighting, please!" Shinta rocked back and forth on his knees, his head in his hands, the pain unbearable. "PLEASE!"  
  
The rurouni looked up through the rain and met the hitokiri's gaze. His voice was soft, but the other heard him clearly. "Will you really make the bloody rain fall once again, over something like this?" He saw the younger Kenshin's face go slack with shock, but it was too late to pull the strike; the tip of the katana drove into Kenshin's shoulder. Only the rurouni's desperate lunge sideways saved himself from being impaled.   
  
The hitokiri cried out in pain as he landed, blood blossoming from the same shoulder he had just struck on the rurouni.   
  
Kaoru saw the blood, and watched them both stagger. Next to her, Shinta gave a single whimper. She had been kneeling next to him, trying to comfort him as best she could. He trembled now under her hands. It was becoming obvious that three parts of Kenshin were very closely tied, and as she looked at the child's shoulder she saw blood soaking the white fabric of his gi. It was the same shoulder the rurouni was now clutching. //It's just like before, with the rock. Only Battousai was hit, but they all had blood on their heads. // She looked up in alarm. "Kenshin, stop! You have to stop attacking each other!"  
  
The hitokiri lifted the hand that had been clutching his left shoulder and he stared in disbelief at the red blood covering it. //What the hell is this? // He looked at the rurouni, who had already assumed a ready stance. Choosing to ignore the mystery of his shoulder—it could wait for later—he lifted his sword and prepared strike again.  
  
The rurouni closed his eyes briefly. //We're at an impasse now. No matter what happens to me, I have to stop him. If we can't stop fighting each other, then we will never know peace. I can't keep being afraid of him, and he can't keep resenting me. We are the same man; it's time for us both to accept that. // Opening his eyes, he felt grief as he looked at his younger self, who was now so completely consumed by the hitokiri's madness. He knew it well, the terrible power of bloodlust, and no matter how many years passed, he knew it was a feeling he would never forget. //There is only one attack that I know he can't use or defend against. I have to bring him back to reason, for all our sakes. // Kenshin shuddered at the fresh wave of pain from his shoulder, which was throbbing in time with his heartbeat. He was getting so tired. The rain, which had increased in intensity over the past several minutes, had soaked deeply into his gi, causing it to stick painfully to his wound. The cold and dampness only served aggravate his already aching muscles. He didn't know if he could pull off the attack in this condition, he was weaker now than when he had faced Shishio and Enishi, but he had to try. Gathering his last reserves of strength, he re-sheathed his sword. Seeing that his opponent was ready, Battousai lunged forward. The rurouni watched him approach with a heavy heart. //He truly is an assassin. Complete the mission, achieve the goal. Nothing else matters to him now. If I don't do something we'll lose him completely. I'm out of choices. //   
  
Although he was almost blind with agony, Shinta recognized the stance for the ougi. Pressing a hand tightly to his bleeding shoulder, he saw with terrible clarity what would happen if the rurouni's strike landed. Shoving the pain, and Kaoru's hands, aside he leapt to his feet and started to run out into the street. "No Rurouni-san, don't!"  
  
"Amakeru Ryuu no Hirameki!"  
  
"NO!" Kaoru and Shinta's cries echoed together as the Sakabatou struck Battousai hard across the chest. Kaoru would never forget the look of utter surprise on the hitokiri's face as he went flying backwards through the air. Hitting the mud on his back, he slid for several feet. He didn't get back up. For the Kenshin-gumi, the moment seemed to drag on forever. A single bolt of lighting lit the street, silhouetting the rurouni against its blue flare. His body was crouched low, the tip of his sword high in the air. Time stood still…and then both he and Shinta screamed in agony and collapsed as the attack took effect on them both.  
  
Kaoru ran to Shinta first, tears coursing down her cheeks. Frantically turning him over, she saw blood leaking from the corner of his mouth, and his chest wasn't moving. "Shinta!"  
  
TBC…  
  
A/N: I *swear* I don't hate Kenshin! *ducks potential tomatoes* I do hate Yanagi though, I *really* didn't want to let him get away again, but I sort of had to…you'll see why shortly. Well, I believe this is what they refer to in literature as an "anticlimax", ne? It's a climax, but not the real one. Yanagi's still at large; the final battle is still to come! Sorry for the cliffhanger guys, that was a mean place to leave off, I know. Only a few chapters left to go I think before this puppy is done, and with this chapter added it's now officially novel-length! LOL I never thought that would happen! ^_^ The song excerpt at the beginning I picked because it really seemed to fit this section of the story, and if you think about it, it could describe either Yanagi or Battousai. Next time: good God Kenshin's dug himself in deep this time…what happened to poor Shinta?! The epic continues in part 12, see you there!  
  
A/N #2: So did anyone catch the tiny timeline change? When I wrote "An Inn in Hokkaido" I messed up when I said that Kenshin could make ten yukata in two weeks…um that was before I'd made a kimono myself -_-;; I intend to go back and revise the timeline in that fic sometime in the future, and I started that revision here. It's a very minor point, most of you probably didn't even notice where it was in this chapter, but I wanted to mention it for those who read that fic before this one and actually pay attention to chronology. 


	13. chapter 12

Prism   
By Calger459  
Chapter 12  
  
Conventions: //…// is thoughts, *…* is emphasis  
  
Sorry about the long delay for this one guys, the holidays were busy, busy, busy (I'm sure you can all relate, ne?). The good news is that I'm almost done applying for schools, so when everything's been mailed off I can finally breathe a sigh of relief and concentrate on my writing again ^_^ In this installment we take a break from the action and engage in some serious character development, including what might even be called romance (gasp!). You have been warned ;) On with the fic!  
  
Disclaimer: *snuggles imaginary chibi Kenshin doll* I only own RK in my dreams. Enjoy the story, I know I am!  
  
~*~  
  
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be  
And I don't want to go home right now  
And all I can taste is this moment  
And all I can breathe is your life  
'Cause sooner or later it's over  
  
And I don't want the world to see me  
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am  
  
~Goo Goo Dolls, "Iris"   
  
  
The world stopped. Kaoru felt many things in that moment as she watched the red-haired child fall. Terror, grief, and panic tore through her heart without mercy, finally leaving a void of shocked anger. As smart as Kenshin was, and as much as she loved him, there were times when he could be appallingly stupid. Whether or not he had noticed that an injury made to one of his selves was also suffered by the other two, he still shouldn't have used the ougi on *himself*. //Baka, baka, Kenshin no BAKA! // Forcing herself to her feet, Kaoru ran to Shinta, mingled tears of fury and terror running down her cheeks. Quickly turning him over, she saw blood leaking from one corner of his mouth. His head lolled loosely to one side as she gripped his shoulders, his tiny face very pale. For one gut-wrenching instant Kaoru thought he was dead…and then he drew in a quick labored breath followed by another. The faintest bit of color returned to his cheeks and he whimpered faintly. As Kaoru gathered him into her arms he instinctively wound the fingers of one hand tightly around the sleeve of her kimono. "Shinta…" she whispered helplessly. //Dammit I should have done something! Why did I just stand there like an idiot? How could I have let this happen? //   
  
"Kaoru-chan!" Kaoru looked up at sound of Megumi's voice in time to see Sano and Yahiko run past, the former carrying a limp and obviously unconscious rurouni in his arms. They vanished inside the clinic and Megumi beckoned her inside. "Bring him inside, hurry!"   
  
"Okay…" Kaoru replied in a voice that sounded pathetically weak. //I should have gotten between them, or *something*. Why didn't I? Kenshin… // Uncaring of the blood that soaked deeply into her kimono, Kaoru tucked Shinta protectively against her chest and stood, hurrying inside the clinic.   
  
Sano met her at the door, his expression stormy. He threw a furious glance at her as he passed, though she could tell his anger wasn't directed at her. "I'm gonna go get that *other* idiot husband of yours, okay?" Kaoru nodded faintly and entered the clinic, laying Shinta down on a bed. Nearby Yahiko was tending to the rurouni, and as Kaoru glanced at her student's face she was surprised to see his large brown eyes glistening with unshed tears. She had never seen the young boy look so pained, and Kaoru walked over to comfort him, at a loss for what else to do.  
  
~*~  
  
Sano stood for a moment over the unmoving body of Battousai, who still lay where he had fallen in the street. The rain had almost stopped now, the clouds overhead clearing away to reveal small patches of starry sky. The faint starlight revealed that the boy was still breathing, and Sano took note of the long, deep depression that had been made in his chest by the Sakabatou's dull blade. //Damn kid's lucky the rurouni doesn't use a regular sword. What would the ougi do if used with a katana? Now there's an unpleasant thought…// "Oi, you awake down there?"  
  
The flesh trench in the hitokiri's chest wasn't nearly as deep as the one Aoshi had suffered in Kyoto, and at that time the ninja hadn't even lost consciousness. Sano would have been surprised indeed if Battousai was asleep, and sure enough at the sound of his voice the assassin's head turned very slowly to look up at him. Kenshin's yellow eyes were flat and glassy, his face tight with pain. "Sano…"  
  
The former streetfighter knelt down next to Kenshin's head and stared into his unfocused eyes. "You know you earned that one, right? You'd better tell me that stupid rurouni finally knocked some sense into you, because if that little kid dies I'm pounding your ass from here to Kyoto, I don't care how strong you are."  
  
Sano wasn't sure how much the teenager really comprehended of that, because the corners of his mouth turned up in a weak smile. "…not strong." he whispered.  
  
Sano blinked. "What?" //Damn, he's not making any sense right now. I'd better get him out of this rain. // As he slung the tiny swordsman over one shoulder, Sano decided that he still wasn't sure how he felt about Battousai. He didn't exactly loathe him, but he didn't feel much sympathy for him either. The gentle rurouni had finally been pushed past his limits by this unreasonable and aggressive version of Kenshin, and as far as Sano was concerned Battousai had gotten what he deserved. Still, the ougi may have been going a bit far. Battousai was a pain in the ass, but he didn't deserve to have his chest nearly carved open. Though Sano didn't like to admit it, the rurouni earlier had made a valid point. The younger version of Kenshin *was* a bit like himself, and as such Sano couldn't completely hate him. Sighing wearily, he hauled Kenshin to his feet. "You'd better be able to walk at least a little, 'cause I'm sure as hell not carrying you, you jerk."  
  
Battousai smiled faintly again. "'s okay…don't deserve it anyway, you can leave me if you want…"   
  
Sano scowled and prodded Kenshin toward the clinic. "Moron, I can't do that and you know it. Come on, if Aoshi could take on Shishio after getting floored by the ougi, then you can make it twenty feet. Walk."  
  
The hitokiri hung his head and made a visible effort to put one foot in front of the other. "Sano, I..."  
  
The former streetfighter gave an exasperated sigh. He knew what Kenshin was going to say. "Look just shut up, all right? You don't deserve to lie beaten in the rain, and if you start up with this I-am-not-worthy-of-happiness crap again, Jou-chan's gonna have your hide."   
  
Battousai laughed faintly at that, but the effort was apparently too much. Thoroughly exhausted by the night's events the boy finally lost consciousness, his head lolling sideways to rest on Sano's shoulder.   
  
~*~  
  
Night passed into early morning and Kaoru remained awake, moving between rooms to check on the three Kenshins in turns. Megumi had retired to bed hours ago, worn out from her efforts but looking relieved that the crisis, for the moment anyway, was over. Kaoru though could not sleep, worry for Kenshin overriding her own exhaustion. She sat in the rurouni's room now, fighting back a wave of dizzying tiredness as she checked his temperature. His face was cool to the touch; all three had been running slight fevers from being out in the storm, but the rurouni's seemed to have broken now. Checking the bandages on his shoulder and chest, she was startled at the damage done by the ougi. This was the first time she had ever seen its effects up close, and Kaoru wondered how it was possible to survive with such a deep, bruising wound in your chest. Megumi had scoffed at the question ("As if Ken-san could be stopped by a mere bruise!") and dryly noted that their exhaustion was probably more mental than physical, their violent argument having done far more to sap their strength than either the rain or the ougi. Kaoru took little comfort in this though. As she replayed the fight in her mind, she realized how little they'd all understood the kind of mental anguish Kenshin had been going through these past few days. His role in the Bakumatsu had literally split his mind apart, and every fight for him now was a battle of wills between the wanderer and murderer in his mind. Thanks to Yanagi that internal struggle was no longer hidden, and there could be no mistaking what their argument had really represented. In truth, Kaoru knew this battle had been a long time in coming. The roots of their conflict ran very deep in Kenshin's past, and Kaoru would be the first to admit that much of that period in his life was still a mystery to her. //Is that why I felt so helpless watching them? Because part of me felt that their arguing was somehow normal? Did part of me feel that I had no right to interfere, or that their conflict would somehow be beneficial in the end? // Kaoru frowned as she stared down at the rurouni's sleeping face. //No, there was no way last night could have helped either of them. If fighting was the answer, then the conflict in Kenshin's mind would been solved a long time ago. No, I can't afford to just stand by like that again. I promised to help him, and that's what I plan to do. //   
  
The first gray light of dawn was beginning to light the window, and Kaoru carefully rose from her place. Her head swam slightly with exhaustion, and she knew it was time to return to the dojo and get some sleep. She didn't feel right in leaving Kenshin alone for too long, but Megumi would be awake soon and she was sure Sano and Yahiko hadn't gone too far away. //I'll just check on Battousai before I go… //  
  
Kaoru stepped across the narrow hall to Battousai's room. Glancing inside she was alarmed to find his bed empty. Reminded strongly of the last time the supposedly sleeping hitokiri had been left unattended, she hurried to the main room where Shinta was. Relief mixed with astonishment when she found the teenager kneeling on the floor beside his young counterpart's bed, the upper half of his body resting on the bed just below the child's feet. He was still dressed in his sleeping robe and his head rested in the crook of his folded arms, his face hidden. For a moment Kaoru thought he was asleep, but the hand fisted tightly in the cloth of his sleeve spoke otherwise. Slowly, she walked over and crouched down beside him. "Kenshin? Are you all right?"  
  
For a moment, there was no response. Then the fist tightened visibly. "It's my fault." The whisper was barely audible, but there was a world of remorse in the simple statement. "It's all my fault, Kaoru. If he dies…" His voice was choked, and Kaoru realized with sudden shock that he had been crying. She heard him draw in a shaky breath. "What will happen to us if he dies?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Kaoru asked softly, trying to keep her own fears out of her voice.  
  
He shook his head slightly, as if denying the question, still keeping his face hidden. "I don't understand what I was thinking." His hand started to tremble slightly, and Kaoru instinctively reached out to cover it with hers. To her relief, he didn't flinch away from her touch. "I feel like I'm insane. Why did I attack him like that? He was only trying to help me, and I…but I never wanted to hurt them, so *why*?"   
  
Kaoru shook her head, unsure how to answer. This remorseful boy was a drastic change from the ruthless hitokiri of the night before. There was no madness here, no mindless desire for blood and revenge. Just Kenshin, her Kenshin, once again blaming himself for everything. She tightened her hand around his. "Still, it wasn't you who hurt Shinta."  
  
The hitokiri made a sound somewhere between a humorless laugh and dissent. "Yes it was, even if I didn't wield the blade. I drove him to it. I left him no other choice."  
  
Kaoru certainly couldn't deny that. Privately—very privately—she wanted to knock both her fool husbands' heads together for being so reckless. While Megumi was confident Shinta would recover, it would be a few days before he could even get out of bed. Kaoru was furious with Kenshin for his actions, but she couldn't bring herself to berate him openly. The situation had grown far too complicated to place blame on any one person, and the last thing the distraught teenager before her needed was to be yelled at. //There was enough arguing last night to last a lifetime. Their conflict has gone on long enough. The cycle of hate has to stop here. //   
  
Breathing deeply, Kaoru gathered her thoughts. "Kenshin...what you did, everything that happened, did you forget who it was for?" He made a small questioning sound, his head turning slightly in her direction. "I've been thinking during the night, about everything that's happened recently, and that's when I realized it. Maybe on the surface your actions seemed like revenge against Yanagi, but I was watching you last night. You were angry with Yanagi but…you didn't attack him until you learned what had happened to Akari-san."   
  
Kaoru heard him draw in a sharp, surprised breath. She continued. "You blame yourself, but you were only acting according to your nature, weren't you? Both you and the rurouni responded to the danger the only way you knew how, and I don't see how either of you can blame yourself for that." Kaoru swallowed hard. Was she reaching him? His posture was still rigid, but she could tell he was waiting for her to continue. "You *are* different from one another, and yes that conflict did lead to this…but where it matters, the two of you are exactly the same. Kenshin, everything you did was to protect someone who was innocent. Your compassion for that woman, your sympathy for her situation, your desire to help in the only way you could…that was the real reason for your anger, ne?" She managed a small smile. "It's so like you, to blame yourself for something like that. But Kenshin in the end you did save her, and for all the right reasons. When he wakes up, I'm sure Shinta will say the same."  
  
Slowly, Kenshin lifted his head to stare at her, his lips parted slightly in shock. "For… Akari-dono?" It was clear from his expression that he had not thought of it in that way.   
  
Kaoru nodded. "Yes." She could see the lingering doubt in his face. "So, knowing that, doesn't that make the three of you more alike than different? Almost like brothers." She smiled at the thought. The three of them really were like siblings, especially when they quarreled, though in many ways they were much closer than any real set of brothers. Kenshin's expression was difficult to read as he gazed at her. Slowly, he sat up and reached out to brush the fingers of one hand hesitantly across her cheek.   
  
The next moment, all hesitation was cast aside as Kenshin rose from his place and gathered her into his arms. Kaoru gasped at his sudden movement, and at the crushing strength in his embrace. The warmth of his body surrounded her and she could feel his heart beating strongly under her hands. She couldn't conceal her surprise; Battousai had never allowed her this close before. Distraught at being separated from his other selves, constantly angry and on guard, he hadn't allowed anyone to touch him like this. Even when the two of them had gone to the market—a day which seemed like an eternity ago to Kaoru—his touch, while tender, had been light and brief. The fact that he was seeking comfort like this now was a hopeful sign, and Kaoru relaxed in his arms, relieved. She had been wrong, at least partially; as foolish as the rurouni's choice had been, it seemed to have had some positive effect on the hitokiri. Threading her arms behind his strong back, she hugged him in return. Resting her head at the base of his neck, she breathed in his warm, familiar scent. It felt so wonderful to be back in Kenshin's arms again. Only now did she realize just how much she had missed it. "Thank you, koishii," she heard him whisper in her ear. "Thank you so much."  
  
They remained that way for several moments, and Kaoru could feel the tension drain steadily out of him. She wondered what he was thinking now, and idly she fingered the collar of his yukata. "I love you," she said into the comfortable silence. "No matter what happens, I want you to remember that." To her dismay, she felt him tense up again. "What's wrong?" she asked in alarm.   
  
He gave a regretful sigh, but to her relief didn't pull away. "I'm sorry, it's just that…I still don't understand it."  
  
"Understand what?" Kaoru searched his face, trying in vain to read the tangle of emotions she saw there.  
  
He looked away from her. "Why you love me…how any of you can care for me after what I did, the things I said."  
  
Kaoru resisted the urge to throttle her husband and sat up in his arms. She slid a hand under his chin and forced his head to turn so she could look him in the eye. "Even now you can still ask me that?"  
  
The golden eyes glanced guiltily away from her. "I always ask why, especially now. Maybe I acted the way I did to save Akari-dono but still, I caused so much pain in the process. Things shouldn't have been this way. I shouldn't be like this."  
  
"And yet, that is the way it is." Kaoru's said determinedly. Battousai always hid himself from her, deep within the rurouni, and now she was certain why. "You are what you are, and I am not afraid." His startled eyes met hers. "I have never been afraid of you."  
  
His expression was that of absolute disbelief. "But…"  
  
"Let me ask you something." Kaoru interrupted, her tone gentle. "Last night, the rurouni said the freedom you've had these past few days frightens you. Why is that?"  
  
He blinked at the apparent change in topic, but didn't hesitate in his answer. "Because I'm dangerous," he said, as if the answer should be obvious. "I don't want to hurt anyone, but without the rurouni…you've seen what happens to me."  
  
"True," Kaoru said reasonably. "But all the same, I'm relieved to hear you say that."  
  
She almost laughed at his dumbfounded expression. "Baka," she said affectionately. "If *that's* what's been bothering you so much then I have even less reason to be afraid, don't I? Do you honestly think I would hate and fear you for caring about others? Do you think any of us, who are your closest friends and family, are ashamed of who and what you are? We understand the pain you feel, more than you know." She could see the denial in his face. Inwardly, Kaoru sighed. He could be so stubborn sometimes. "Kenshin, it's your desire to help others that makes you worthy of love, and as long as that is true you will be just fine, because your friends will always be there for you, and my love for you will never falter. You understand?"  
  
"Yes," he whispered wonderingly, his expression clearing. He stared deep into her eyes and Kaoru felt her cheeks flush at the spark of desire she saw there. She wasn't sure how she'd managed such a long and eloquent speech, but her words seemed to be working. //He has to understand, he just has to. As long as he continues to hate and blame himself, he can never be at peace. All I want is for him to be happy. I love all three of them so much… //   
  
A love that she knew Battousai denied himself, out of fear and self-loathing. Kaoru met his gaze steadily, her resolve firm. //I have to make him understand. // "Kenshin, when I married you I didn't just marry the rurouni." She saw a brief flicker of guilt in his eyes, and knew she had voiced his own doubts. "Himura Kenshin is far more than a simple wanderer. He is also a warrior and a leader, gifted with a child's ability to empathize with those around him. He is a wonderful man, with the purest soul I've ever known. Together, the three of you make up the man I love. Without you, without the hitokiri, Kenshin would not be complete." His eyes were very wide as she drove her point home. "I have accepted you, *all* of you, from the moment I invited you to live at my dojo. You don't need to hide from me anymore."   
  
"Aishiteru," he murmured huskily, leaning forward to kiss her. The rest of her impromptu speech vanished from her mind as his lips touched hers. It seemed he had been convinced, and she felt her own body respond to his insistent embrace. She gave in to his passion and obvious need, knowing that she needed this as much as him. Battousai had always been such a mystery to her, so firmly meshed with the rurouni that whenever he emerged on his own he was frightening in his intensity. But now she saw him for what he was: the fire behind the rurouni's gentle courteousness, the passion that drove his soul and strengthened his spirit.   
  
Heady with desire, she welcomed the hand that moved from her upper back to pull expertly at her obi. Obviously Kenshin wanted more than just kiss and he leaned heavily against her, starting to push her back onto the floor. She felt the knotted fabric at her back come loose, and as her kimono started to come loose her brain rudely reminded her of where they were, and what time of day it was. With her luck Megumi, or even worse Yahiko, would come strolling in any minute. Part of her didn't care. Kenshin was her husband, after all. She belonged in his arms. However, the ensuing embarrassment would probably cause the self-concious hitokiri to retreat back inside his shell again, and that was the last thing Kaoru wanted.  
  
"Kenshin," she murmured, reaching up with difficulty to squeeze his good shoulder. "Love, we're still at the clinic." Battousai growled low in response, his thoughts on that obvious, and she smiled at the volumes spoken by that single sound. She tightened her grip on his shoulder and he reluctantly stopped his advance, dropping his head to rest on her shoulder. His body trembled with the effort of holding back what she knew they both wanted, and she kissed his neck in sympathy, inwardly surprised by his obedience. "I know," she agreed gently, "but we can't do this here." She didn't try to hide the regret in her voice. "I have to go now. I need to get the dojo ready so we can take Shinta home."  
  
Battousai slowly pulled away from her, frustration and disappoint written clearly across his face. He sighed heavily. "Can't the rurouni do that?" Contrary to his annoyed expression his tone was light, and Kaoru smiled as she scooted back from him slightly. Standing up, she attempted to retie her obi. In an instant Kenshin was behind her, helping to retie the knot and straighten the folds of her kimono around her.  
  
"Thank you, Kenshin." She said with a sigh. "Sometimes I wish I could just go around in men's clothes. They're so much easier to deal with."  
  
Stepping around to the front of her, he smiled. "I suppose they are." The hungry look had not left his eyes and Kaoru could feel the heat rise in her face again as he gazed steadily at her. "Return soon." Breaking eye contact he glanced over at Shinta, who was still deeply asleep.   
  
Kaoru found she could breathe again. //How does he do that to me? // "I will. Call on Megumi-san if you need anything."  
  
Looking back at her, Kenshin nodded once before stepping forward to embrace her again. Now that he was standing she noticed just how stiff and tired his movements were. He favored his wounded shoulder as he hugged her and she kissed him lightly on the cheek, a gesture of reassurance for both of them. //It was real, // she reminded herself. //What I saw in his eyes was real. Later, when this is over…I can't let him forget. I won't let him hide out of fear of rejection anymore. //   
  
This time Kenshin ended the contact, stepping back and smiling gently, his eyes shifting subtly from amber to pale lavender. "Thank you," he said again. "Do I really deserve someone like you?"  
  
Her heart full Kaoru turned to leave, tossing a parting remark over her shoulder. "Kenshin no baka, ask me that again and I'll sic my bokken on you, that's a promise."  
  
He grinned at her. "Hai, koishii."  
  
~*~  
  
"Hey Kenshin, how long are you going to sleep for?"   
  
The rurouni groaned softly and rolled away from the deep male voice, burying himself stubbornly under the blankets. Something cool and wet slid down over his forehead and onto his nose. Suddenly unable to breathe he tried to pull it off, but the cloth was lodged between his face and the bed, and he was forced to turn back over to release it. The cloth was plucked from his grasp and Kenshin opened his eyes. He stared up into Sano's bemused face and sighed tiredly. "What do you want, Sano?"   
  
The younger man rolled his eyes. "There you go, whining again. I've never seen you sleep past sunrise before, you feeling okay?"   
  
Kenshin tried to sit up and gasped in pain, suddenly aware of a throbbing, burning sensation across his entire chest and left shoulder. Doing his best to ignore it, he looked over at Sano with gritted teeth. "What happened?"  
  
"What do you think? I have to say, that is probably the dumbest stunt I have *ever* seen you pull."  
  
Kenshin looked down and saw the deep purple bruise that ran diagonally across his chest from shoulder to belly. He felt his eyes widen as memories from the night before resurfaced. "Ougi? How can this be? I wasn't struck with it."  
  
Sano snorted loudly. "No kidding, genius. I can't believe how unobservant you are sometimes." Sano tossed the wet cloth he had been holding into a basin nearby. "Didn't you notice that when Battousai wounded your shoulder, his was hurt too? That ougi hit all three of you, not just him."  
  
Understanding dawned, and Kenshin gasped in alarm. "Shinta!" He started to get out of bed, but Sano held him back with a firm hand on his good shoulder.  
  
"Not so fast there, Kenshin. The Fox said for you to take it slow today. You know, Aoshi was able to get up and fight after getting struck with that attack. You on the other hand passed out and slept all night. What's up with that?"  
  
Kenshin gave him a sour look, but chose to ignore the question. "Is Shinta all right?"  
  
Sano's expression turned serious. "He'll live. The Fox took care of him. The kid's hurt pretty bad though; it might be a few days before he's back on his feet again."  
  
The rurouni closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "What about the other one?"  
  
Sano snorted. "Who, Icicle Boy? He woke up hours ago. Refuses to speak to anyone, just sits there and stares out the window. He's been like that since I got here this morning. Any ideas?"  
  
Kenshin stared hard at his lap, his brows drawn into a scowl. Sano frowned in concern for his friend; he looked thoroughly exhausted. After a moment, Kenshin's expression cleared and the swordsman looked up at his friend. "I'd like to go home now, if Megumi-dono will allow it."  
  
"You up to that?" Sano asked. The rurouni nodded firmly, his face slightly indignant at the question. Sano raised his hands disarmingly. "All right, I'll go ask her. Just stay here." Sano stood and headed for the main room, where he found Megumi tending to Shinta. The child was still asleep and looked very pale, the lines of his young face strained.  
  
Megumi glanced up at him as he entered. "I checked on the rurouni early this morning before Kaoru-chan left. He's free to go, as is the younger Ken-san. You might as well take Shinta-kun with you; he would probably feel more comfortable at home."  
  
"You think so?" Sano came to stand by Megumi and stared down at Shinta. "Is it really okay to move him?"  
  
"He just needs rest. There is a lot of deep bruising that needs to heal, but as long as you carry him there he'll be fine. Besides, I know Kaoru-chan is anxious to have him home." Megumi sat quietly for a moment, her face concerned. "However, I think we all need to remind Ken-san that another incident like this could kill this child, and any hope of a happy ending to all this."  
  
Sano nodded in agreement. "You going to be okay? You look like you could use some rest yourself."  
  
The doctor smiled grimly up at him, but there was a mischievous glint in her dark eyes. "I hope you're not saying that I look old. Insulted foxes make short work of rude, insensitive roosters."  
  
Sano laughed and winked at her. "And who says I *wouldn't* want to be made short work of, eh? Not that I would ever say something like that anyway."  
  
"Uh-huh." Megumi rolled her eyes and waved him out impatiently, trying to hide her slight blush. "Just go already."  
  
~*~  
  
Sano leaned against the doorframe and noted that Battousai was still sitting where he had left him earlier that morning, perched on the windowsill in his familiar brooding pose, with one leg drawn up against his chest and the other leg dangling to the floor. The midmorning sunlight cast a warm glow on his face, making him seem deceptively innocent and gentle. "Hey Kenshin, you can go now. The Fox Lady gave the all clear."  
  
No answer.  
  
Sano sighed in irritation. He hated being ignored. "Hey! I pulled your sorry ass out of the rain last night, the least you could do is thank me a little. Are you even listening?"  
  
"I heard you, Sano." Kenshin's gaze was fixed on his amber-eyed reflection. Slowly, he closed his eyes. "I heard you."  
  
Sano stared at the teenager, surprised by the weak, husky gentleness of his voice. Something didn't seem quite right. "Are you all right?"  
  
Battousai nodded slightly, opening his eyes. He fingered the sleeve of his yukata absently. "I'm fine. I've just been thinking, that's all."  
  
Sano scowled. "Well don't let me stop you or anything. I'm going to get Yahiko and the rurouni up and ready to go and then I guess we'll all head back to the dojo. Shinta's coming with us."  
  
Kenshin broke his gaze away from the window. "Is he awake?"   
  
Sano was struck by the concern in the other's eyes…and by the fact that they were no longer amber. "No." Confused by the hitokiri's change in demeanor, but refusing to show it, Sano turned to leave.  
  
"Sanosuke."  
  
He paused in the door. "What?"   
  
"I'm sorry," Kenshin apologized softly into the thick silence that followed. "About what I said before."  
  
Sano blinked in surprise and turned back. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Kenshin had turned his gaze back to the window. "Last night," he explained quietly, watching the people walk by outside. "When I said that fighting you was a waste of time. I didn't mean that…it was a terrible thing to say."  
  
Sano shifted uncomfortably, not sure what to make of this suddenly reticent Battousai. "Well, you *are* a lot stronger than me. That's a fact, not an opinion. I'm fine with that, really."  
  
"But it's not true," Kenshin countered, looking at Sano with earnest eyes. "You are an excellent fighter, and one of the strongest men I know. And where it matters the most you're a better man than I."  
  
Sano wasn't sure how to respond to that except with a soft, disbelieving "Kenshin." //He's different, somehow. He's changed from yesterday. //  
  
Battousai sighed and got down from the window. "Go ahead and get the rurouni. Let's go home."  
  
  
~*~  
  
Megumi watched the three figures walk slowly away up the street, the tallest of them cradling a small figure against his chest. She smiled at how gently Sano held Shinta, as if he were made of glass. //He really cares for Ken-san. He is a good friend to him. // Turning from the window, Megumi breathed a small sigh of relief at the blissful quiet that filled the clinic. Another crisis had passed, and she was confident that all would be well. As small and frail-looking as Kenshin was he had remarkable determination, which gave him amazing durability in the face of injury. The departure of the Kenshin-gumi left her with just one other patient.  
  
Megumi entered Akari's room and seated herself beside the bed. Carefully she felt the other woman's forehead and was mildly startled when Akari's eyes fluttered open at the light touch. For a moment, the woman's mouth opened and closed without sound, then her brown eyes, still clouded with sleep, turned to Megumi. They locked gazes for a moment, and as she took in her surroundings Akari's gaze turned sharp and clear. "Who are you?" she whispered hoarsely, her throat still bruised.  
  
"I'm Takani Megumi," the doctor said quietly. "We met briefly the other day, remember? I'm a doctor. I've been treating your injuries."  
  
For a moment Akari stared back at her with a blank expression, then gasped in realization. She sat up abruptly. "Yanagi!"  
  
"No, wait!" Megumi tried to push Akari down onto the bed, but the other woman resisted, straining against her hands with surprising strength. "You need to rest, please lie down!"  
  
Akari shook her head sharply and pushed the doctor's hands away. "No, I have to go find him!" She looked at Megumi with pleading eyes. "Takani-sensei, the man who attacked me was not my husband!"  
  
Megumi raised a skeptical eyebrow. "I think you are mistaken Shimizu-san. Sanosuke told us what happened. It was Yanagi who gave you these injuries, it is no mistake. I'm very sorry this happened to you, but you must accept the truth."  
  
Akari narrowed her eyes and glared at the doctor indignantly. "I am not a child, Takani-sensei. I am well aware of what happened. But I will tell you this: though he wore my husband's face and spoke with his voice my attacker was not Yanagi, at least not the man I've known since childhood. Something terrible has happened to him. Where is he now?"  
  
Megumi frowned. "I don't know. Ken-san confronted him last night outside this clinic and Yanagi escaped. After that, Ken-san turned on himself."  
  
Akari's eyes grew wide at this information. "'Turned on himself?' You mean…that teenaged boy attacked Himura-san?"  
  
Megumi nodded, impressed by the woman's perceptiveness. "In a manner of speaking. Ken-san was forced to strike back against the younger version of himself, and due to the nature of his condition all three were hurt. They are at the Kamiya dojo now, recovering. We don't know where your husband went."  
  
Akari looked down at her lap, her face drawn and pensive. "This is very bad," she said at last.  
  
Megumi nodded solemnly. "Yes, it is. How are you feeling?"  
  
Akari sighed heavily. "Very sore, but otherwise all right."  
  
"And?" Megumi prompted.  
  
Akari glanced at her. "And what?"  
  
Megumi didn't like how calm she seemed. "There is no way to ask this delicately Shimizu-san, so I'll just be direct. Your husband, the man I presume you love, beat you to within an inch of your life. You can't possibly be all right with this."  
  
Akari stared at her for a long moment, her expression thoughtful. "I didn't handle the situation very well." She said at last. "I knew from what he had done to Himura-san that something was very wrong with him, but I wasn't cautious enough. I shouldn't have provoked him."  
  
"That doesn't excuse him attacking you!"  
  
"No, it doesn't." Akari agreed firmly. She looked at Megumi with determined eyes. "Believe me, whatever is going through my husband's mind right now, he will answer for treating me this way. However, I don't think it's entirely his fault. Something—or someone—has taken over his mind Takani-sensei, and I will find out who." She stared into at the square of sunlight at the foot of her bed. "The younger Himura-san said that I was the key to all this, and I'm beginning to think he's right. I will save my husband from whatever he's fallen into, no matter what it takes."  
  
From what she had seen of him so far Megumi doubted the man was worth saving, but she held her tongue. Akari had just been through a terrible experience, and if she needed to believe that Yanagi was really a good guy at heart in order to recover, then so be it. It wasn't Megumi's place to interfere any more than she already had. "Very well, Shimizu-san. I'll inform those at the dojo as soon as I can that you are awake and recovering. I imagine they will want to see you later."  
  
Akari smiled slightly. "Yes, I suppose that would be best. I will rest for now. Thank you."  
  
Megumi nodded in acknowledgement and left Akari staring into the pool of sunlight, lost in thought.  
  
~*~  
  
Kaoru had no sooner put her hand on the gate to return to the clinic when it opened for her. She found herself staring into Battousai's tired face. She blinked in surprise, but was relieved to everyone else standing behind him. "I was just coming to see you," she said lightly, stepping back to let them through. "I went ahead and made lunch…"  
  
Sano saw the stack of wrapped bento in her hand and grinned widely. "All right, I'm starving! Where do you want Shinta, Jou-chan?"  
  
"Our room, please," she said, handing the stack of boxed lunches off to Yahiko. Glancing over his head she noticed that Battousai and the rurouni seemed to be carefully avoiding each other's eyes. Her heart sank slightly at this, but it didn't surprise her. //After what happened last night, they're probably afraid to talk to one another. // "You two need to come with me," she told them.  
  
The two older Kenshins blinked at her with identical confused expressions. "Why?" the rurouni asked.  
  
"Because gentlemen," she said evenly, "I used the last of our food to make these. We're going shopping now. Sano and Yahiko, if you can handle Shinta we'll be right back."  
  
The rurouni and Battousai glanced at one another uncomfortably, but neither dared argue with their wife. They followed her obediently out of the gate.  
  
~*~  
  
Evening found Yahiko sitting outside in the gathering darkness, propped against one of the roof supports. He stared up at the darkening sky, which was rapidly filling with stars. The passing of the storm the previous night meant that the day had been beautiful, with mild temperatures and brilliant sunshine. But Yahiko hadn't enjoyed it at all. //Five days. It's already been five days and he's still in three pieces. How long is this going to go on? // He curled up against the pole and adjusted the shinai on his knees. He hugged the bamboo sword to him, seeking some sort of comfort for the aching in his heart. The adults had been taking turns watching over Shinta all day, but the child still hadn't woken. Since their return from the market Battousai and the rurouni had been wandering around like confused ghosts, not speaking to anyone, much less each other, and wearing the most forlorn expressions Yahiko had ever seen. It was incredibly depressing, and he had been grateful for an opportunity to escape outside, away from the suffocating tension that filled the house.   
  
Yahiko heard a soft sound off to his left and to his surprise he saw Battousai walking across the yard toward him. He didn't look at Yahiko as he approached, and he stopped several feet short of a thick, heavily battered pole that had been mounted in the yard for Yahiko to practice strikes on. Battousai studied it for a moment, slowly walking around it with a thoughtful expression. He had a sword tucked through his hakama, and as Battousai unsheathed it Yahiko saw that it was a katana. //He still has Kamiya-sensei's sword? I figured Kaoru would have taken it away from him by now… // Yahiko was sitting on the side of the pole facing the house, which was now deep in shadow. He realized that since he couldn't read ki very well, the hitokiri probably didn't realize he was there. Holding back his excitement, Yahiko forced himself to sit as still as possible, hardly daring to breathe lest Battousai see him.  
  
For a moment, Battousai closed his eyes and stood motionless, his sword held straight out in a defensive stance. Then, with a practiced grace that was only slightly hindered by his injures, the hitokiri began swinging slowly through sets of complex kata. Yahiko watched in rapt fascination, recognizing certain stances and strikes as components of Kenshin's various special attacks. These were the basics of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, the standard sword work that Kenshin would have to have mastered in order to perform the style itself. Yahiko knew that Kenshin practiced regularly, after all even a master swordsman could lose his touch if he only used his skills every once in awhile, but he normally did it in secret, far away from the dojo. Tsubame had told him a few weeks ago that she had once accidentally stumbled on Kenshin practicing in an isolated bamboo grove a few miles from the dojo. She'd said that he had blown the tall stalks apart with his ki alone and that the force of it, plus the surprise of finding him there, had literally knocked her off her feet.   
  
Yahiko didn't doubt that story now as he watched the young Kenshin run through his forms with flawless technique, the wind singing slightly around his blade as he struck at the air. It was obvious that even at this slow speed each solid blow had the power to kill. He wondered why Kenshin was practicing so openly but seeing the tense, almost pained expression on Battousai's face, he could guess why. He'd overheard Sano and Kaoru discussing what had gone on at the clinic while he'd been asleep, and from what they'd said Battousai was wracked with guilt over what had happened to Shinta. Yahiko figured the teenager was just as stressed out as everyone else—hell, he'd been on edge ever since his first appearance—and the practice session was probably his way of relieving some of his anxiety. Yahiko propped his chin on his knees and watched Kenshin move through a set of spinning kata. //Forms for Ryu Kan Sen, // he thought sleepily. Battousai's fluid movements were mesmerizing. Only the bright flashes of moonlight glinting off the hitokiri's sword kept him awake, and it took him a few moments to realize that the rurouni had appeared on the porch, only a few feet away.  
  
Yahiko froze and stared at the older Kenshin, who didn't seem to have noticed him sitting there. The rurouni watched Battousai in silence, a slight frown on his face. Yahiko could sense his mentor's nervousness and he glanced out at Battousai, who had assumed a familiar battou-juutsu stance in front of the practice pole. Yahiko realized what Battousai was going to do and he opened his mouth to protest, but in the fraction of a heartbeat it took him to open his mouth Battousai had cut through the pole, the reflection of the moon on his sword creating a blinding arc of silver-blue light that hung in the air for several seconds. As it faded the top of the pole went flying, bouncing several feet and rolling to a stop next the porch. Yahiko gaped at it, the horrible vision of some soldier's head in place of the log flashing through his mind. He suppressed the urge to shake his head to dispel the image. Battousai would not kill…even when he'd had Yanagi under his blade, completely at his mercy, he'd still hesitated. Even if the rurouni hadn't been there, he wouldn't have gone through with it. That would not be Yanagi's fate, Yahiko was sure of that now.  
  
"You shouldn't have done that," the rurouni said in a low voice.  
  
Battousai re-sheathed his sword and turned his head to glare at his counterpart. He was breathing quickly, his face covered in sweat from his exertions. "I'll find a new pole tomorrow."  
  
The rurouni stepped down off the porch top retrieve the log. Walking over to the pole he replaced the top, and Yahiko watched in amazement as the line where the wood had been cut virtually disappeared. "It is a good blade," the rurouni commented in a mild tone. "Even finer than our old one."  
  
"It's unfortunate that children can't be replaced as easily as this piece of wood," Battousai said, just as mildly. The rurouni's hands froze on the pole and Yahiko sucked in his breath, wondering if they were going to have another argument.  
  
The rurouni bowed his head and was silent for a long moment. "We've both behaved like fools, haven't we?"  
  
"Aa," Battousai agreed quietly. Yahiko studied both their faces, trying to figure out what they were thinking, but it was difficult to see their expressions. The moon's light seemed to reveal much without showing anything at all. "Neither of us realized the obvious. But Shinta knew, I'm sure of it. He allowed himself to be placed in danger."  
  
"Why?" the rurouni asked softly, not taking his eyes off the wood in his hands.  
  
"I think we both know why," Battousai said. "His agenda is the same as it ever was. I used to think it was foolish, even hopeless…but now I understand what he was trying to do, and I think he had the right idea all along."  
  
//What's he talking about? // Yahiko wondered, frowning in confusion.  
  
The rurouni seemed to understand though because he nodded, finally looking up at Battousai. "So we agree on our course of action from here?"  
  
"I think," Battousai said quietly, "that we agree on many more things than we thought we did."  
  
The rurouni smiled slightly, his expression sad. "I wonder why it took so long for us to realize that."  
  
"Because," Battousai said, and now he suddenly pitched his voice higher in what Yahiko realized was a perfect imitation of Kaoru, "'We're two of the most stubborn, not to mention blind, fools this world has ever seen', end quote."  
  
The rurouni grinned and even Yahiko had to suppress a laugh at how girly Kenshin's voice really was, especially when used at that register. "Aa, that we are," the rurouni said good-naturedly. "Are you done here? You shouldn't strain yourself too much."  
  
"I'll be in soon," Battousai assured him. The rurouni nodded and retuned to the porch, silently sliding the door open. He paused in the doorway, his deep violet eyes glancing in Yahiko's direction for the briefest of instants. Swallowing hard, the young samurai realized that it had been foolish to think that Kenshin wouldn't know he was there. The older swordsman was far too skilled and experienced to let a little thing like dampened ki reduce his awareness of his surroundings. The rurouni didn't say anything though; he only smiled slightly before stepping inside the house, and then Yahiko was alone on the porch.   
  
Battousai stood for a moment in the moonlight, staring up at the stars, before he too let his gaze drift over to rest on Yahiko's hiding spot. They stared at one another for several long moments. Yahiko smiled shyly and Battousai nodded in acknowledgement, looking relieved that the unspoken apology had been accepted. //I'm not sure what they were talking about, but something's definitely changed between them. I think they'll be all right now. // Yahiko felt a great sense of relief as he watched the hitokiri walk slowly away down the yard, vanishing around the corner of the house. His heart lighter than it had been in days, Yahiko went inside, ready for a good night's sleep.   
  
TBC…  
  
Wow, another long one. So, we went from lots of nifty keen action (I'm glad you guys liked the Kenshin-Kenshin fight so much, I'm pretty happy with it too ^_^) to tons of WAFF in this chapter. Not a whole lot happened plot-wise I guess, but I still enjoyed writing it. Many thanks to my beta-reader on her insights regarding the Kaoru/Battousai scene in this chapter. Since she's married (and I'm not) her comments and suggestions were invaluable. Arigatou Ranma-chan! Thank you all for your great support of this fic, the action returns next chapter. Believe it or not we're nearing the end, folks! Sad but true. I've revised my chapter count to 15…but I may need two epilogues so we'll see what happens as far as length, ne? Next time: The next morning opens with some fun for Shinta and co. (thank God, after all this angst!), but Yanagi hasn't gone far! See you for part 13! (Sheesh, did it really take me over a month to get this chapter out? God that's pathetic, I'll try to speed it up a bit, really…) 


	14. Vignette: Shimizu Yanagi

Prism   
Vignette: Shimizu Yanagi  
by Calger459  
  
Conventions: *…* is emphasis, //…// is thoughts.  
  
Disclaimer: *checks virtually non-existent stock portfolio* Nope, no RK here. Kenshin's only mentioned in this section anyway. So there, *nyah* ~_^  
  
~*~  
  
Defeat. That was the first time I had felt it, defeat in its truest form, and all my foolish desires fled in the face of death.  
  
The eyes of the demon bored into my soul, his sword kissing my throat, and I knew it was over. I would die, at the hands of the same man who had saved my life seven years before.  
  
Did I view it as irony? Justice? Betrayal? I truly don't know.  
  
Because I no longer understand myself, or what I have become.  
  
For over a year I lived as Jine's slave, in secret. In my desire to make something of myself, to achieve strength equal to—-no, greater than—-Himura's, I became bound to this soulless creature, this rouge hitokiri who lived only for death. I did it willingly, despite my misgivings. Those misgivings belonged to the old, weak Yanagi. I was no longer that man; I would be someone better, someone stronger. So I agreed to follow him.  
  
He taught me to track and recognize auras in a detail I could never have dreamed possible before, to read others' emotions and intentions with unerring accuracy. This was something I wanted.  
  
He taught me to harness that energy, collect it, and release it so it could be used with the force of a small bomb. This was something I wanted.  
  
He taught me to use that same energy for defense, to create a wall around myself. Not an invincible barrier, but something temporary that could be used to fend off a fatal blow in an emergency. This was something I wanted.  
  
He taught me how to twist the aura of another, to the point where I could control not their thoughts, but the base emotions that drove those thoughts. This…was something I wanted.  
  
He taught me to extend beyond just emotions, to affect their body, to freeze their heart or merely paralyze their muscles, whichever I chose. To kill with a mere thought, watching them suffocate in agony. This…I did not know if I wanted, but I learned it anyway.  
  
I learned everything he taught me, and in return he used me to hunt down more victims for his endless bloodlust.  
  
I would tell Akari that I was going on a business trip, often somewhere far away like Okinawa or Hokkaido. Would I visit Sakura-san in Furano if I passed that way? Would I pay tribute to the graves of my father and her mother for her, since it was too far a journey to make on her own? Of course…if I had the time. Would I bring her souvenirs from the warm lands to the south, perhaps an exotic shell from the beaches? Of course, I would reply, and I would search every market I could during daylight hours until I found something she would believe had come from that place.  
  
All lies. All deceptions. Weeks spent away from her, traveling in the night, tracking and hunting and freezing men, altering their emotions to lure them to me, to him. To their deaths.  
  
And I would stand by and watch as he slaughtered them. Depending on his mood, they either died quickly by the sword or slowly choked to death under his Shin no Ippo, their bowels spilling in their final moments of agony, their skin turning blue and waxy.  
  
I was repulsed, I was afraid, I was…horribly intrigued, and envious of his control over the fates of others. This was what I had always wanted. Even if I was physically sick nearly every night—-out of his presence when possible, to avoid his cruel mockery—-over what we were doing, it was still achieving my goal. To gain strength in the one area I could, so I could overcome Himura when I finally found him.  
  
Why Himura? Why, out of all the swordsmen I could have chosen, did it have to be him? That, I could not tell you. Then, or now. Maybe because he was the first *real* swordsman I had ever met. A true warrior, and a legend of the age. That…and I am still in his debt, something I have always resented.  
  
My father gave me nothing; neither choices, nor power, nor strength. That was reserved for my elder brother, who even now carries on my father's craft in Furano; but I never bore him any ill will. My brother is a good man, and strong in his profession. He will be successful, and live on into old age a happy man, content with creating works of art from lumps of otherwise useless metal.  
  
That life was not meant for me, I knew that. My father dismissed me as useless and reckless; too unskilled for the family craft and too troublesome in my personality to train in any other aspect of our business. How ironic then that earning money is the one thing besides ki I seem to be good at. My father could never see that though; I still don't know why. Even so, I was his son and when the peasants began to rebel around us he feared for my safety. He hoped to marry me off, get me out of the way so he would no longer have to worry about his useless second son getting himself into trouble and ruining the family's reputation with such an unsavory death. Bastard. Controlling, self-centered bastard.  
  
What about *my* happiness, *my* peace of mind, *my* strength? What about *me*?  
  
And I call him self-centered.  
  
But really, did I not have some right? Himura felt that I did…and did not at the same time. I should find my own freedom and worth, he told me, but not if it meant shattering my bond with my father. I should find another way, a better way. Those gentle violet eyes were so earnest when he told me that, as if he were remembering something from his past, about which I still know virtually nothing. Sentimental fool. Sentimental…and yet so incredibly strong and independent. He needed no one to care for him; he had his own talents, and he used them to help people who were nothing more than strangers to him. He used his skills, at the risk of his own life, to set me free. I, who had treated him with nothing but the utmost disrespect.  
  
Why did I despise him so, you ask? Simple. How could he, a murderer renowned through Japan, possibly lecture me on how I should live my life? That's what I told him anyway…and it was the truth, at least in part. Really though, I was jealous. I can admit that now, even if I couldn't then. I was envious of his strength, so much so that I wanted to make it my own. If I gained his kind of power my father would finally notice me, maybe even respect me. And Akari…I already had her love, but her love is not what I really wanted. Even with her, I felt incomplete. I needed my own talent, my own strength. Then, and only then, could I be a whole man for her.  
  
That was my goal when I left Hokkaido, with her at my side. My dream, if it could be called that. But things haven't turned out the way I thought they would.  
  
I lie here shivering in the rain, not far from the clinic, my memory haunted by the glow of mad amber eyes. Eyes that I set free to challenge my own strength, to test my own ability.  
  
Well I have been tested, and I have lost. My sacrifices, my lies, have been for nothing. I have lost Akari forever; in my madness, so like that of my deceased mentor, I closed that one path to redemption forever. I closed it because I no longer cared about it, because I finally admitted to myself that it was not nearly enough to soothe my restless soul. I am such a coward.  
  
What is it that I really want? Why have I done these things? Why did I agree to work with Jine, why did I kill that man in Osaka, why did I hurt my wife? Why can't I leave this path that fills me with such pain and despair?  
  
I suppose, somewhere inside me, I know the answer to that. It is a path of madness I walk now, a path without reason or end, and I stay on it because I have nothing else. I have lost everything. All I have left now is my abilities, the empty strength I destroyed everything else in my life to achieve: my love, my dignity, my honor, and my worth as a human being. I am such a pitiful, horrible man. I can't turn back, can I? I can't go back to the way things were. Even if I could…I would not, because I was going mad in that life, pacing that apartment in Osaka like an animal in a cage, trapped by my own lies and illusions.  
  
The man Akari married is no more. I can't deny that any longer. He is gone, swept away by his weakness. I am all that remains and I will conquer Himura, even if it costs me my life. After all, what else can I do?  
  
I wanted to believe that not even Battousai would take my life…but he so nearly did. It was so close, and in that instant when our desperate breaths mingled and our shared madness was ready to consume us both, I found that I was afraid of death. Afraid…and yet strangely relieved, because at least if I was dead then this horrible mockery I call a life would be over.  
  
I'm so tired, Akari. So defeated. I will go to my death, if that is my fate. It is the least I deserve. As for you…I owe you the truth, don't I? You, who is the greatest victim of my twisted, empty ambitions. You deserve to hear it from the one responsible for your tears, the misery that in your pride you refuse to show anyone, even me. I know when you cry though. Somehow, I always know.  
  
When Himura has left the clinic, I will see you one last time. I will explain, and then…I will leave you forever.  
  
I thought, in the very beginning, that I was doing this for you. So I could be a better man for you. That's what I thought my heart was telling me when we left Hokkaido, but I was wrong.  
  
In the end, I suppose my feelings for myself are just like those I have for my father. I hated him and now I hate myself, with every fiber of my being.  
  
I am beaten in the rain. I can't live like this anymore. I can't keep up this double life. Not for you, and certainly not for me.  
  
I am so sorry, my love.  
  
TBC…  
  
A/N: I felt that Yanagi desperately needed some sort of explanation, both for the reader and for me. He's changed so much since "An Inn in Hokkaido" and yet in many ways he is the same, so I needed to determine exactly how Jine had influenced him. In this vignette I really tried to iron out his character and goals, and show why he does what he does in chapter 13. He switches erratically between addressing the audience (or himself, if you prefer) and Akari directly; something which I felt showed the instability in his mind (and hey, it wrote itself like that anyway -_-;;). I see this section as an important link between chapters 12 and 13, I hope you all liked it, even if you hate Yanagi (I know I do :P) On to part 13! Yanagi no baka… 


	15. chapter 13

Prism  
Chapter 13  
by Calger459  
  
I have some bad news…my beta-reader (and best friend) recently moved to Florida *sob*, so I now have to snail mail my chapters to her. Expect even longer gaps between chapters from now on…a month at the very least -_-;; At least we're nearing the end of this saga; my aim is to have this fic done by summer. This chapter is mostly buildup for the grand finale, as well as giving our villain some much-needed spotlight and explanation. On with the fic! Oh yeah, and make sure you remember to vote for all your favorite fics in the RK Reader's Choice Awards this year (stupid FF.net won't display the URL, so just type the name into a search engine, k?). The nomination phase lasts until Feb. 28!   
  
Conventions: *…* is emphasis, //…// is thoughts  
  
Disclaimer: *sigh* how many way can I say the same thing? Until Kenshin himself appears in my living room and offers to cook and do my laundry for me, I don't own RK. 'nuff said.  
~*~  
  
The early morning sun burned brightly behind his closed eyelids, the brilliant red glow finally stirring him from his long sleep. Shinta blinked open tired violet eyes and turned his head away from the blinding sun, which was streaming in through shoji doors left slightly ajar the previous night. Squinting into the relative darkness of the room he was momentarily confused. The last thing he remembered was darkness and rain…but now he was somewhere else, in a room that was familiar to him. //Home. I'm *home*. // He sighed in relief, and sucked in a sharp breath of surprise when the sudden movement sending a burning, throbbing pain throughout his entire chest. He shifted his body cautiously on the futon, trying to see what else was damaged. Oh…of course. It was everything. //Figures. I wonder how long I've been asleep? // His chest felt like it had been run over by a cart, and his head swam slightly as he struggled into a sitting position. //WOW, this hurts. No wonder even Shishou passed out when I hit him…// Carefully straightening his sore back, Shinta tried to lift his hands but found them restrained. Quickly he looked to either side of him, and he felt his eyes grow wide.  
  
On his left lay Battousai, sound asleep, his hand wrapped securely around Shinta's wrist. On his right was the rurouni, his fingers entwined gently with Shinta's, his face equally peaceful in slumber. The sunlight lit both their faces with a gentle glow, and Shinta couldn't conceal his astonishment. It was well past dawn, and yet here his counterparts slept on, their hands warming his own. He felt their twin spirits humming around him in perfect contentment, at peace for the first time since their separation. He felt tears rise at how concerned they had been for him. He could feel it in the air, their lingering worry and uncertainty. But that was all it was…an impression of an emotion past. Shinta smiled gently. //I did it. It worked. Thank the gods. //   
  
Ignoring the pain in his body, which suddenly seemed less than before, Shinta tugged his hands free and lay them in his lap. He stared down at his tiny hands, which were almost lost in the twisted fabric of his yukata, probably one of Yahiko's, which was far too large for his tiny frame. //This physical pain will last for a while, but in the end it was worth it. I knew they could come together. // He grinned at his counterparts, suddenly giddy with happiness. //I *knew* they could! //  
  
A mischievous glint entered his eyes as he heard the distant sounds of someone—probably Kaoru—clattering around in the kitchen. A wicked grin spread across his face and he clapped his hands together in front of him with a vigorous nod. "Yoshi!"  
  
~*~  
  
Kaoru carefully balanced the cluttered breakfast tray in her hands and made her way to Kenshin's room. //Let's see miso, rice, tea…I don't think I forgot anything. //   
  
Kaoru had made an extra effort this morning to make her food edible, trying to remember as much as she could of the cooking lessons both Tae and Kenshin had been giving her recently; she hoped it would meet with his approval. She reflected ironically that under normal circumstances she wouldn't know one way or the other if Kenshin disliked her food; he was far too polite by nature to say that her cooking was anything but perfect. Unlike the rurouni though, Battousai spoke his mind quite freely and Kaoru admitted to herself that it was really him she was trying to please. She smiled as she recalled the scene from that morning: she had woken to find the three parts of her husband lying side by side, all deeply asleep. Battousai's presence had honestly surprised her; she hadn't heard him come in the night before, and this was the first time she'd seen him sleep lying down. She'd observed how he'd been cuddled so very close to Shinta, his body curled in a protective posture around him. The rurouni had been in a similar pose, but it was Battousai who had caught her attention. Of the three of them, she reflected, he had changed the most. Only a few days ago he had been nearly unapproachable by anyone except her, his anger lashing out like the coils of a startled viper at the slightest provocation, unpredictable and dangerous. Back then she would never have dreamed of finding him like this, so intimate with his other selves, and the sight had taken her breath away, filling her with an indescribable happiness.   
  
//He'd better like breakfast. // She thought fiercely, tightening her grip determinedly on the tray in her hands. She quickened her pace down the hall.   
  
"GAAAHH!"  
  
"ORO!!"  
  
"Dammit, Shinta!"  
  
Kaoru froze in mid-step. "Wha—"  
  
The door to their room flew open and Shinta came barreling out, laughing hysterically, his oversized yukata hanging off him and his bare feet slipping on the polished wood floor. The child was forced to drop to all fours and scramble to keep from slamming into the wall. Regaining his balance he came running toward Kaoru, a long hair ribbon clutched in one fist, his face flushed with excitement. "Ohayou, Kaoru-san!"  
  
Battousai came tumbling out right behind him, his yukata in complete disarray. His hair tie was missing and his long red hair fanned in an unruly mane around his furious face as he charged after his pint-sized counterpart. Slipping on the floor he slammed his injured shoulder hard into the wall. He failed to bite back a very colorful curse. "Come back here, you runt!"  
  
Shinta squealed with glee and darted down the hall, dodging Battousai with eye-blurring speed. He shot around behind the stunned Kaoru. She met the hitokiri's horrified gaze as he flew toward her and they both realized too late that he was going too fast to stop. Reacting on instinct the teenager let himself fall, dropping to the floor just as his hands met Kaoru's waist. He pulled her roughly into his lap, taking the jarring impact for both of them. For an instant they stared at each other and then both looked up at the same time, identical looks of consternation on their faces. The tray flew to the ceiling above them and then, seemingly in slow motion, started back down.   
  
Kaoru gave a little shriek and shut her eyes against the inevitable. There was the pounding of feet and the loud clatter of dishes rattling on a tray, but nothing touched her head. Cautiously, Kaoru opened one eye and stared up into the rurouni's flushed face. He was hanging over them, balanced precariously on one foot, the tray clutched safely in his hands. He sighed in relief and hopped backwards, only lowering the tray when he was safely out of range. Heart hammering in her chest, Kaoru looked between the younger and older versions of her husband, at a loss for words.  
  
The hallway rang with Shinta's delighted laughter. "That was great! You all should see your faces! Nice save Rurouni-san!"  
  
"Temee…" Battousai growled through clenched teeth. He hadn't loosened his protective grip on Kaoru's waist. Pulling her closer, he leaned around her and glared at the boy. "What's gotten into you?"  
  
Kaoru twisted around to stare at Shinta, her eyes wide. "Sh-Shinta?" She stared at him in disbelief for a moment before scrambling out of Battousai's lap, nearly falling as her kimono caught on her legs. Landing hard on her knees she threw her arms around the boy, sobbing in relief. "Oh Shinta, thank the gods you're okay! I've been so worried!"  
  
"K-Kaoru…" the child whispered, dropping the honorific in his surprise. Although Kaoru couldn't see his face, his counterparts could see how his face twisted in pain at her embrace. //I thought so. // The rurouni thought grimly. //His energy was just a show. For whose sake I wonder? // Shinta's play had obviously aggravated his injuries badly but he smiled through the pain and returned the hug, pressing the side of his face tenderly into her hair. "It's okay, Kaoru-san. I'm all right."  
  
She muttered something into his hair that sounded suspiciously like "baka" and pulled away from him. Holding him at arm's length she examined him critically. "What are you doing out of bed so soon? Megumi-san said three days at least! You're supposed to be resting!"  
  
"Indeed, Shinta-kun," the rurouni said, crouching down beside the boy and setting the breakfast tray to one side. "You should be more careful. Your injuries are serious, and Megumi-dono's orders were very strict on the matter."  
  
Shinta looked at him for a long moment then leaned forward until their noses were almost touching. He squinched his eyes shut in a sweet smile and uttered two syllables: "Ba-KA!"  
  
"Eh?" The rurouni blinked.  
  
With the speed befitting of a pint-sized Hiten Mitsurugi master, Shinta brought up his fist and smashed it down on top of the rurouni's head as hard as he could.  
  
"OW!" Kenshin fell back solidly on his rump, one hand to his head, wincing painfully. "What was that for?!"  
  
Shinta bared at his teeth at him fiercely. "Gee I don't know Rurouni-san! Why ever would I be angry about the fact that if the two of you hadn't been so busy fighting each other like toddlers I wouldn't be injured at all! Next time *think* before you act!"   
  
Battousai slumped against the wall and pressed his fingers against his forehead wearily. "Moron."  
  
"And YOU—" Shinta whirled on the hitokiri, who looked up at him in surprise. "Is your sanity going take a hike on us again anytime soon?"  
  
"Shinta!" Kaoru gasped in alarm.  
  
Battousai blinked in shock at the bold question, his eyes huge. He fumbled for a reply. "I uh, that is…no."  
  
Shinta raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "No?"  
  
The hitokiri smiled shyly, the light of that smile finally reaching lavender eyes. "I'm all right now."  
  
Shinta gave him a searching stare and then dropped to the floor, crawling forward on hands and knees into Battousai's lap. Getting up into the teenager's face he leaned in close, staring deeply into the other's eyes. Behind them Kaoru and the rurouni exchanged bewildered glances. The hitokiri swallowed nervously, held fast by the child's intense stare. Shinta's eyes widened. "Really?"  
  
The hitokiri nodded, smiling slightly. "Aa."   
  
Shinta's cherubic face broke into a wide grin. "Yatta!" he yelled gleefully, leaping backwards to his feet and throwing his arms wide. "I'm so glad to hear that!" He grabbed Battousai's hands and pulled him to his feet with a strength that belied his size. Keeping hold of Battousai with one hand, he grabbed the rurouni with his other hand and started dragging them both down the hallway. "Let's go!"   
  
"Shinta-kun!" They cried in unified protest.  
  
"We're not dressed!" Battousai yelped.  
  
"And you should be resting!" the rurouni added helplessly.  
  
"Forget all that! C'mon, let's play!" Shinta pulled the spluttering and protesting Kenshins all the way down the hall, leading them outside.   
  
Kaoru stared after them before a moment before bursting into astonished, yet happy, laughter. Getting to her feet, she followed them into the sunlight.  
  
~*~  
  
Akari came awake suddenly in the sun-drenched room, her heart pounding from her nightmare. Breathing deeply she tried to calm herself, but her terror refused to subside. It had felt like someone was there in the room with her, a horrible evil presence that meant her harm. Frantically, she searched the room with her eyes. //Nothing…there's nothing. // A shudder passed through her and she reached unconsciously for her throat. Images from her nightmare persisted in her mind, refusing to be banished: hands grabbing her throat, squeezing with unbearable pressure; a menacing man-shaped shadow moving in the darkness, pressing down on her with terrible weight. The feel of liquid flowing freely down her arms, too thick and hot to be water…  
  
Tears stung her eyes and Akari shut them tight, hunching over around her pain. //It was just a dream! // she told herself furiously. //It wasn't real…not this time. Not this time. // Her body was shaking, trembling with fear, but she refused to cry. //I won't cry. I'm too strong to cry… // Her mother had cried every day of Akari's young life. She mourned the husband lost to disease, and how hard it had become to raise her young daughter alone. None of those tears had been able to feed them, or bring her mother's once proud spirit back from where it had fled. Crying was a useless act, a weakness Akari refused to show. Crying would not bring Yanagi back to her, nor would it erase what she had learned about him in the past few days. She felt a tear hit her hand, unbidden. //Damn it…// There was a tight pain in her throat, insistent and choking, a pressure demanding relief. //I don't *want* to cry! //A sob tore through her and she hunched even lower, fighting with all her will against the tears that threatened to spill down her face.   
  
"Akari."   
  
Shock ripped through her with the force of a lighting bolt, banishing her misery in an instant. That voice…had he seen her cry? Akari sat up straight and stared into the shadows of the room, red-rimmed eyes focused on the figure standing where before there had been nothing but air. It was pointless to ask how he had gotten in; it only mattered that he was here *now*, and the sight of him filled her with both relief and terror beyond imagining. Her voice, thick and distorted with tears, rasped when she spoke. "Yanagi?"  
  
The figure stepped forward until he was half-lit by the sun. She could see only one eye clearly, and that eye was flat and cold, its pale gray color like an overcast winter sky, devoid of warmth or comfort. "How are you feeling, Akari?"  
  
He was nearly unrecognizable as her husband; he seemed to have grown gaunt and sickly since she had seen him last, his filthy Western suit hanging off his frame. He held himself with a stiffness Akari had never seen before, and those eyes.... She instinctively recoiled from this stranger, hissing softly in terrified rage, her face drawn into a scowl. Her bandaged fingers twisted in the thick blanket that covered her. The man before her looked like Yanagi, but it wasn't him, not the man she knew. This was the *other*, the one who had attacked her without warning or mercy. "Who are you?"  
  
The gray eyes widened slightly in surprise, and she saw something else flicker through them. Was it sadness? Regret? "A strange question. Don't you trust your own eyes?"  
  
Akari glared at him, feeling her anger overtake her fear. Good, she could deal with anger; it was far preferable to the feelings of self-pity and abandonment that had been threatening to consume her only moments before. "I would say yes…but it wouldn't change the fact that I don't know you. Where is my husband?"  
  
The man stepped further forward until he was at the foot of the bed, the sun illuminating him fully. Akari leaned away from him, unsure of his intentions. His expression was thoughtful. "You haven't answered my question. How are you doing?"  
  
"Forget that," she hissed. "How do you think I feel? You know what you did to me."  
  
"Yes," he agreed softly. There was no remorse or regret in his cold gaze.  
  
"What the hell is going on here?" Akari demanded, her dark eyes blazing with fury. A small voice in her mind warned her that his was how she had provoked him last time, but she ignored it. It was still better than being afraid. "When are you going to tell me the truth? Where is Yanagi?!"   
  
Yanagi sighed and tilted his head to one side. Coming from him, the gesture seemed strangely menacing. "If I tell you, will you listen?"  
  
Akari blinked. "Of…of course." //I always listen to you. I always have… //  
  
Yanagi nodded and seated himself carefully on the stool at the foot of the bed. "Why do you think I'm here, if not to explain?"  
  
"I don't know," she said in a low voice, trying to conceal her nervousness. "I can't tell what you're thinking anymore, or why…you do things. I don't understand what's going on. What's happened to you?"  
  
His expression softened slightly. He could see how frightened she was of him. He could always tell with her, no matter how much she tried to hide it. "I'm not Yanagi, at least not the one you knew. He is gone. He doesn't exist anymore…and hasn't for a very long time now."  
  
Akari drew in a startled, confused breath. "What?"  
  
He looked away from her, staring out the window. "You've been lied to Akari, deceived for so long…I came today because you and you alone deserve to hear the truth."  
  
Akari searched his face, which seemed to have aged significantly since she'd seen him last. "You've been nearby this whole time, haven't you? When you fled from Himura-san…you didn't go far."  
  
The expression in his eyes when he looked at her was chilling. "No, I could not. Not in the condition I was in. I couldn't leave, so I waited until I was sure Himura had left here for good, so could to talk to you without interruption."   
  
She looked at him expectantly, willing to listen, to defer further judgment until she had heard everything. //That's so like her. // he thought. Burying his own uncertainty, he met her bold gaze steadily. "Two years ago, just after we moved to Osaka, I associated with a man named Udoh Jine." Akari shook her head; the name was unfamiliar to her.  
  
"He was a strong swordsman," Yanagi explained." A hitokiri from the revolution. He was highly skilled in manipulating ki, both his and others'. You remember what ki is, right?"  
  
"Of course I do," she whispered. "I remember it from Furano. And Himura-san explained it to me."  
  
Yanagi's face twitched at the mention of that name but he didn't comment on it. "Ki is a skill I also have Akari, and it is very powerful. I wanted to learn from Jine, to gain the strength he had."  
  
He paused for a moment, as if waiting for a reaction. Akari just stared at him, waiting patiently for him to continue. "Your Yanagi," he said finally, "was always weak in spirit. Many times and in many ways he tried to overcome the emptiness in his heart. He asked Himura Kenshin for guidance…he would not give it. He asked his father and others around him for guidance. They would not give it. But still he wanted to be strong, and with that in mind he made it his goal to defeat Himura…so after leaving Hokkaido with you he looked until he found someone who *would* teach him." Pain flickered briefly across his face now, and Akari feared what he would say next. "Jine agreed to help him, but at a price. You see, he had one weakness as a swordsman, a weakness that got him expelled from the Shinsengumi and forced him to become a rogue hitokiri. He had an endless thirst for blood. He lived to kill, and he used his skill with ki to help him take out his targets. Still, no number of deaths could be enough for him, so in exchange for his knowledge Yanagi…*I* was required to use my new skills to find more victims for Jine."  
  
"Oh Yanagi..." Akari whispered in horror.   
  
"I never killed anyone while in his service," Yanagi continued in an empty voice, his gaze far away. "But I was an accessory to countless murders at his hand."  
  
A memory surfaced in Akari's mind, of a time two years ago when Yanagi had come home very late looking weak and sick, his gray eyes haunted. She had never seen eyes like that before, and they had frightened her. "I remember," she whispered, "that day you came home and you were so sick and you wouldn't tell me why..." That was the beginning, she realized. After that he had become more and more detached from her, his behavior growing increasingly erratic. Something had been very wrong, she knew that, but every time she tried to worm the answer out of him he always turned her attention to something else. He had done it by directly manipulating her mind...she knew that now. "Why..."she asked tearfully, "why didn't you tell me this before?"  
  
"Yanagi feared your rejection," the man before her explained in cold, almost angry tones. "He was ashamed that your love wasn't enough to fill the void in his heart, and he knew that Shimizu Akari was not a person who would ever approve of what he was doing. But it was too late...there was no turning back from the course he'd chosen. After a year Jine vanished, and I grew hungry for more power. Yanagi was powerless to stop it…and I finally consumed him. I continued experimenting on my own, and a few months ago I found a way to separate ki, something even Jine had never conceived of. I knew then that I was finally strong enough to face Himura. So I brought us here to Tokyo."   
  
Akari could not speak. She stared at him in horrified disbelief. She had been partially right, she realized. Someone *had* taken over Yanagi's mind…but it had been Yanagi himself. And she had been powerless to put a stop to it. He had seen to that. //He knew he was slipping away, falling into madness…and he didn't care. He didn't want help, mine or anyone else's. //   
  
He lifted his face to her now, his eyes steely and full of conviction. "Now that the child has been incapacitated Himura is at his most vulnerable. He is still powerful in spirit, even in his current state, but I will defeat him. It will happen tonight."  
  
Akari blinked again in astonishment. It took an effort to find her voice. "Tonight? Why are you telling me this? Aren't you afraid I'll warn Himura-san?"  
  
He could see fear in her eyes again; fear that he would silence her. //No Akari, not you. Not this time. There is no need. // "I know you will," he reasoned calmly, "and it doesn't matter one way or the other. He is a hitokiri; he is always prepared to fight. Whether he is warned or not, it will make no difference in his strength." Yanagi stood now and gazed down at her. "There's nothing you can do, Akari."  
  
"You don't need to do this, Yanagi!" she insisted, her voice earnest. "No matter who you are now or what has changed I still—" she swallowed and looked away from him. Her fists trembled where they were clenched on the bed. "I still love you," she said finally. "Won't you even let me try to help you?"  
  
His eyes widened in genuine surprise. "You want to help a man who tried to kill you?"  
  
"You are ill," she said, still not looking at him. "These things that you did, these murders you helped with…they hurt your mind. So I guess…you are not quite sane, are you?"  
  
"Probably not," he said mildly. "I won't deny that my behavior had hardly been that of a rational man."  
  
"You admit that so freely," she whispered harshly, glaring at an invisible point on the wall. "And yet you came here to explain to me…to ask how I was, despite what you did to me. I guess part of me believes that you are mistaken…that there is still something of my husband left in you that can be reclaimed."   
  
There was a long silence. "It was all a lie, Akari. An act I put on for you. Just because I remember how he was doesn't mean that your Yanagi still exists. Go to Himura if you want, it doesn't matter to me. I am saying goodbye to you now."  
  
She turned sharply to stare at him and he was astonished to see tears flowing freely down her face. "'Goodbye'? How can you do this to me?! What am I supposed to do without you? You're my husband, you can't just—"  
  
"You are no longer my concern!" He snapped viciously, his tone carrying a terrible note of finality. The words, and the tone they had been delivered in, struck her like an arrow through the heart. Akari felt her face grow pale, her anger evaporating in the face of the sorrow that suddenly enveloped her heart. "In turn," he continued in a voice as unyielding as Battousai's sword, "you should no longer concern yourself with me. You are a strong woman, Akari. I know you will manage somehow. In the meantime, I must do this. That is the way it has to be. Sayonara." He turned to leave.   
  
Her muffled sob was deafening in the silence of the room. "Our whole lives Yanagi, everything we've been through together, everything we were to each other, you're saying it was all a lie? You're saying it was all *nothing* to you?"  
  
He did not answer her, and when she looked up again he was gone. As if he had never been.   
  
~*~   
  
Sano and Yahiko sat together on the porch, watching their friend in amusement. "You realize," Sano mumbled around the fishbone that hung out of the corner of his mouth, "that if we hadn't met this guy our lives would be so goddamn boring?"  
  
Yahiko grinned. He completely agreed. "Yeah, that's Kenshin for you. He really is something, though. I wouldn't miss this for the world."  
  
Sano grinned and tossed the fishbone away into the yard. "Yeah, me neither."  
  
They watched the three Kenshins dance around one another in a game of toss-the-ball (Shinta's idea of course). All three tried to go for the ball at the same time. The rurouni and Battousai collided with each other and the hitokiri spat something that was far from polite. A stern glance from the rurouni silenced him immediately though, and both looked sheepish at Shinta's disapproving frown. "Play nice!" he told them, in a voice so commanding Sano blinked. For a moment he had sounded like…but then he *was* Kenshin, so why was he even surprised?   
The three Kenshins had so far broken every single medical rule Megumi had laid down for them. If any of them were feeling any pain though it didn't show in their enthusiastic play, which was only made the more amusing for the spectators since all three were still dressed in their sleeping yukata. The rurouni still seemed a bit embarrassed by his state of undress but Battousai didn't seem to care all that much. He tossed the ball to the rurouni, and when it was hit back at him he ran and caught it with impressive agility, simply straightening his robe when it started to come undone around him. Kaoru had joined their game as well, and Sano was glad to see her so happy and contented. It just wasn't like Kaoru to be so sad and serious all the time—that was Kenshin's specialty—and he was relieved that Battousai and the rurouni seemed to have finally gotten their act together. Sano hadn't shown it but Shinta's serious injuries had really scared him, and the possibility of the boy being injured again was enough to send him into mental hysterics. He cared very deeply for his friend, and if the boy had died he wasn't sure what would have become of the other two. //Would they have died also, since they all seem to be connected? Or is the fact that the two older ones are almost recovered the reason Shinta's awake and running around? // Sano watched the trio thoughtfully. Shinta had a big smile on his face, but at times that smile was strained, and he constantly favored his left shoulder. //He's hurting pretty badly, but he won't show it. That's so like Kenshin. He can be so stupid sometimes. // "Oi, Kenshin!"  
  
The two older Kenshins turned immediately to look at him. Shinta was slower to respond, but he too glanced in Sano's direction. "You know, you're all still hurt and the Fox Lady said she was coming by this morning. She's gonna kill you if she finds you roughhousing like this."  
  
"We aren't roughhousing, Sano." Battousai growled, but he cast a concerned glance at Shinta. Both Kaoru and the rurouni followed suit, turning worried eyes on the child.  
  
Shinta stared at them in turns. "I'm fine!" he insisted, lifting his right hand to rub at the sweat and dirt on his face. "We were having fun, weren't we?"  
  
"Aa," the rurouni agreed gently, "but Sano is right. Let's go clean up before Megumi-dono gets here." He offered his hand to Shinta and the boy took it reluctantly, a definite pout on his face. "Aren't you coming?" the rurouni asked of Battousai, who was standing slightly apart from the rest of them.  
  
"In a moment," the hitokiri said quietly. The rurouni frowned. Battousai smiled at him reassuringly. "I'm fine. Go on ahead; I'll be right behind you." He waited until the rurouni and Shinta had disappeared inside the bathhouse before walking over to sit on the porch.   
  
His friends watched him curiously. "Aren't you going to…" Yahiko began but the hitokiri cut him off with a short wave.  
  
"In a moment," he said. "I wanted to talk to the three of you first."  
  
Sano and Kaoru exchanged glances. "About what?" the former streetfighter asked.  
  
Kenshin sighed heavily. He looked at them with eyes that hovered somewhere between pale lavender and amber. "I wanted to…that is…" he trailed off and shook his head sharply. Kaoru came to stand next to him, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder. He looked at her gratefully. "Thank you," he murmured. "I'm sorry, this sort of thing is still very hard for me. It shouldn't be, but it is."  
  
Sano sat forward, his face impatient. "So go on. We're listening."  
  
Kenshin nodded. "I just wanted to thank you all… for everything, for your patience and friendship. I know you wouldn't have done otherwise—" he continued quickly as he saw Yahiko's mouth open in protest "—but I didn't want to seem like I was taking your friendship for granted. I have been terrible to all of you, and I wanted to apologize for that before…while I still can."  
  
That caused to others to blink, and even Battousai seemed at little puzzled by his own choice of words. "What I meant was, I have a feeling that one way or the other, this will all be over with very soon. Before this happened none of you knew me very well—" here he glanced at Kaoru, who simply smiled "—and that was entirely a result of my own cowardice. That and, for a very long time, the rurouni and I haven't exactly seen eye to eye on certain things."  
  
"Yeah, well that was pretty obvious from the start." Sano grunted. "What's your point?"  
  
"My point," the hitokiri said, obviously trying hard not to be become irritated with Sano, "is that, thanks to all of you, he and I have finally come to an understanding of sorts. I wanted to you to hear that from me, not him, while it was still possible. Something is going to happen soon. We should all be prepared."  
  
"Yes Himura-san…you should be prepared."   
  
Everyone on the porch turned quickly to stare at the two women who had suddenly appeared in the yard. Their eyes traveled from Megumi to Akari. She was once again dressed in her maroon kimono, but she did not carry it with the same confidence as before. Everything about her spoke of a great weariness, and she leaned heavily on Megumi for support.  
  
Kenshin's eyes were wide as he stared at her. "Prepared for what, Akari-dono?"  
  
Megumi glanced worriedly at her companion, but Akari simply shook her head. "I need to speak to all of three of you together, Himura-san. As soon as possible."  
  
~*~  
  
The three Kenshins bathed and dressed in record time, and by late afternoon the Kenshin-gumi were again assembled around the dinner table. It was a strange replay of their gathering of a few days earlier, only this time the stakes were even higher than before. Akari had just finished her long account of Yanagi's visit that morning and the room had fallen into stunned silence, the optimism of that morning effectively erased.  
  
"I've lost everything," Akari said, her voice painfully loud in the awkward silence. "He has abandoned me to do this foolish thing. I am so sorry Himura-san that I could not stop this from happening. I don't have the words to apologize for what my husband has done to you. I thought that I had the power to fix this…but it seems I don't. I am so sorry." Her voice was thick with emotion. Megumi and Kaoru sat on either side of her, and both women placed a comforting hand over Akari's bandaged ones. Akari looked to each of them, gratitude in her tired eyes. She looked down again at her hands. "I should have done something," she whispered. "From the very beginning when he came home like that…but I didn't understand what was happening to him. Even if I had…I don't think I would have been ready to believe it. The man I love has faded away, eaten alive by something I can't even comprehend. And I can't bring him back."  
  
"Akari-san…" Shinta whispered, his eyes large in the fading light of the room.  
  
Battousai looked away uncomfortably, at a loss of what he could say that could possibly comfort her. In times like these, it was the rurouni they always relied on to take charge and say the right thing. Kenshin's gentler self did not fail them. "It is hard," the rurouni said softly into the silence, "to realize a dream. Few people have that kind of resolve. Yet there are people who believe in something so strongly, be it for good or evil, that they are willing to go to any lengths to achieve it, even if that means sacrificing a part of themselves."   
  
The rurouni glanced at Battousai, who was looking at him with a startled expression. He continued to gaze at his counterpart as he spoke. "Men like that are dangerous creatures, Akari-dono. If allowed to live without guidance they sway constantly from one side to the other, unable to choose between them, harboring two natures within one soul." Everyone was staring at him now. Akari seemed slightly confused but there was understanding in the wide eyes of the Kenshin-gumi. Kaoru frowned slightly. //He's talking about himself, isn't he? But is Kenshin really similar to Yanagi? //   
  
"An unsteady heart," Kenshin continued, looking now straight into Akari's eyes, "striving for what he perceives to be a pure goal can be so easily corrupted, or worse used as an unthinking tool, a pawn in someone else's game." Some of the Kenshin-gumi bowed their heads slightly. There was no doubt now that Kenshin was referring to himself. "Until Jine no one, including myself, had been willing to take responsibility for Yanagi's untrained power. Although I had my reasons at the time, for what it's worth I regret the choice I made in Hokkaido." He let that hang in the air for a moment. Akari only nodded slightly.   
  
Kenshin sighed deeply. "Akari-dono, you must understand that there was probably nothing you could have done to prevent this. From what I saw of him then, and from what you tell us now, he has always been this way. He has thirsted for strength his entire life, and that desire has overridden everything he once cared about, even you. Every time I have encountered him he has shown one of two faces. The one I knew in Hokkaido was an uncertain young man begging for attention, and for someone to fill the emptiness in his heart. The other face is obsessed with that very same goal. The difference with him is that he is willing to use any means to achieve it." Next to him, Battousai flinched.  
  
"It seems," Kenshin continued thoughtfully, "that he has finally chosen one face over the other. And yet, Akari-dono, I cannot convince myself that there is no hope for him. No matter how hard this new Yanagi may try to deny his original self, no one part of a person's soul can ever be completely destroyed. Suppressed maybe, but never destroyed." The Kenshin-gumi were all looking at Battousai now. The hitokiri, for his part, was apparently finding the top of the table very interesting. The rurouni smiled slightly at his counterpart. "Yanagi can only deny himself for so long Akari-dono. That is where your role may be the most important of all. If he cared enough to come and tell you goodbye in person, then I believe you still have a chance of reaching him."  
  
Akari looked up at the rurouni, her face an amalgam of trepidation and hope. "Really?"  
  
"Aa." The rurouni nodded. "I speak from personal experience, Akari-dono. As for Yanagi, he has a strong will that obviously won't be denied. When he arrives we will meet him on his terms, the three of us together."  
  
"Ah yes, about that." Megumi spoke up, arching a delicate eyebrow at the rurouni. "Why, may I ask, is that child out of bed against my strict instructions?"  
  
"Um…" the rurouni looked away from her guiltily.  
  
"Don't blame him Megumi-san," Shinta said with an innocent smile. "I got myself out of bed. Besides, I had lots and lots of sleep. I'm really feeling much better."  
  
"Is that right?" Megumi replied, obviously not buying a word of it. "Well then I suppose I'd better enlighten the three of you with an official medical report. This battle tonight is poorly timed, to say the least. None of you have had enough time to recover, and since it is obvious your health is connected I worry about you fighting again so soon. Shinta's frailty will drag you all down. Your injuries mean only one thing to me: that at least in part, your separated state is nothing more than an illusion."  
  
"Illusion?" Battousai said incredulously, reaching over to yank firmly on the rurouni's ponytail. "If this is an illusion Megumi-dono then it's a damn good one, don't you think?"  
  
"Ow! Let go of me!" The rurouni protested, wincing.  
  
Megumi met the hitokiri's icy gaze unwaveringly. Their mutual dislike was quite palpable. "There's no need to be so crude, Ken-san. I agree with you, but that is the evidence I see. Are you planning to let go of him anytime soon?"  
  
Battousai released the rurouni, who inched away from the teenager with an affronted look. Shinta rolled his eyes at the two of them. "You know, she's right Kenshin-san. We all have the very same ki. It hasn't changed at all."  
  
The rurouni frowned and rubbed the back of his head. "An illusion? What are you thinking of, Megumi-dono?"  
  
The doctor shook her head. "I was hoping you could tell me, Ken-san. I don't know anything about the subject, really. I am a healer of bones and muscles; the foundation of medicine is to heal the physical as well as the spirit. However there is no way to touch the metaphysical. A bone is set with bandages and heals as the crack itself mends. The spirit often takes longer to heal. It may be that your ki is like that fractured bone; all we have to do is find the proper way to begin to heal it."  
  
Battousai caught Kaoru's gaze. She looked at him quizzically and watched as he traced the shape of a triangle in the air. //Oh, the prism! // Her eyes widened in understanding. She had nearly forgotten about that. "Three shades of the same color," the hitokiri said quietly, aware of everyone's attention on him. "What was separated can be recombined. I believe that is what she means. Since it's clear we can't rely on Yanagi for help, we'll have to somehow do this ourselves."  
  
Shinta blinked. "How? We can't—" he broke off abruptly and jumped to his feet. Everyone tensed. They all knew of Kenshin's ability to sense danger when it was coming, and they were unsurprised by his next words. "He's here."  
  
TBC…  
  
A/N: Man, another cliffhanger of sorts. Please don't hate me -_-;; You know it's odd given the content, but this has been one of the most enjoyable chapters for me to write so far (even if it did take forever). I struggled through the Yanagi/Akari scene until I went and wrote that vignette from his POV…then suddenly it all fell into place *smiles*. It was a case of the authoress concentrating too much on Kenshin's development at the expense of her original characters (though to be fair, Battousai is really the main character here. We've all figured this out by now, right? ;). I was still unclear on just *what* was going on in Yanagi's head. Well, now I'm clear and that should make chapter 14 much easier to write. Yanagi's narration takes place shortly after the end of chapter 11 actually, but because it's in first-person POV I really couldn't place it within the chapters. I hope it worked the way I presented it, and I hope you're all less confused about our villain now. Next time: the final battle, at long last!! What will be the fate of Kenshin, what is Akari going to do now, and what's going to become of Yanagi? Find out in part 14! ^_^  
  
A/N #2: Oh, and huge thanks to my beta-reader for contributing the Megumi psychobabble up above (I forgot to include the credit with the first posting, 'cause I'm a big baka, so I'm fixing it now). I was really stumped on what she could say there, and originally she didn't elaborate on her "illusion" observation. Ranma-chan pointed out that I was missing a good Megumi moment, and came up with something to say since I was at a loss, and I thought it came out quite nicely. Arigatou gozaimasu Ranma-chan! Next time: the final battle, at long last!! What will be the fate of Kenshin, what is Akari going to do now, and what's going to become of Yanagi? Find out in part 14! ^_^  
  
*Mini-glossary:  
  
Wow, for the first time in…how many chapters? I really do try to avoid fangirl Japanese,  
but some expressions work so much better and carry so much more meaning than their English equivalents that I felt justified in using them. My apologies to those whom this practice annoys.  
  
Yoshi: generally translated as "Let's go!" or "Let's do it!" Since it's just Shinta saying it though, the literal translation just didn't feel quite right. I couldn't think of anything suitable to put in its place, and I think the meaning was clear enough from the scene anyway.  
  
Temee: a rather rude version of "you". It just felt like something Battousai would say -_-;;  
  
Yatta: basically, "I/she/he did it", but it didn't feel quite right for Shinta to say that to Battousai so directly…  
  
Sayonara: just about everyone knows what this means anyway but for those who don't it's "farewell", the most final one you can use. You only say this when saying goodbye to someone forever, or for a very long time.  
  
**New pictures!  
  
And a new batch of fanart by myself and others, yay!   
  
Battousai in the rain by my beta-reader Ranma-chan:  
www.flame.org/~calger/guest/battourain.jpg  
Battousai and Shinta by Imbrium:  
www.flame.org/~calger/guest/battshin.jpg  
The Washtub Incident by Imbrium:  
www.flame.org/~calger/guest/laundrytub.jpg  
  
And here's my stuff:  
The trio on the porch:  
www.flame.org/~calger/figure/triosm.jpg  
Color sketch of Shinta:  
www.flame.org/~calger/figure/shintaface.jpg  
Color sketch of Kaoru and Battousai from chapter 12:  
www.flame.org/~calger/figure/kbkiss.jpg  
Battousai in the dojo, from his spar with Yahiko:  
www.flame.org/~calger/figure/battousaidojosm.jpg  
Shinta with a ball, looking mischievous ^_^:  
www.flame.org/~calger/figure/shintagrinsm.jpg  
And the rurouni in the porch in the green gi:  
www.flame.org/~calger/figure/kenporchgism.jpg 


	16. chapter 14

Prism  
Chapter 14  
by Calger459  
  
Conventions: *…* is emphasis, //…// is thoughts  
  
So here it is, the beginning of the end. That's all I've got to say. On with the fic!  
  
Disclaimer: Eat your heart out Sony. RK may not be mine but that doesn't mean I can't invite them to come play in my sandbox ;)  
  
~*~  
  
"He's here." The child's whisper carried an odd note that drew Kaoru's attention immediately. Shinta's posture was rigid, his violet eyes large in his pale face. His forehead glistened with sweat despite the chill of the room, and she noticed that his body was trembling slightly, swaying a little from side to side as if he couldn't quite keep his balance. The boy blinked several times and then, without warning, broke into a fierce coughing fit. He pressed a hand to his mouth and staggered as his legs buckled under him.  
  
"Shinta!" Battousai leapt from his place to catch his younger self before he could hit the floor. He wrapped his arms around the child and pulled him to his chest, supporting him even as Shinta tried to stand on his own. The rurouni rushed to their side but Shinta waved him away. The boy clung to Battousai until the coughing subsided. He lowered the hand covering his mouth and Kaoru's stomach gave a sickening lurch when she saw blood on his lips. The hitokiri looked frantically at the doctor. "Megumi-dono!"  
  
"There's no time!" Shinta regretted speaking immediately; the cough started again as Megumi rushed around the table to kneel beside him. The fit passed quickly, leaving him gasping painfully for air.   
  
Kaoru was shocked by Shinta's sudden deterioration; he has seemed fine just a few minutes ago, and in fact had been acting almost normal the entire day. She mentally winced at her own naiveté. Of course he had "seemed" fine; of course he had been "acting almost normal". //Kenshin, you idiot! // Kaoru bit her lip, her sudden spike of anger fading at the terrified look on Shinta's face. Maybe he had pretended to be all right for the same reason Kaoru had let herself fall for the act…because the alternative was simply too awful to think about. //Oh Shinta, you really are no different from the other two… //   
  
Megumi tried examine the boy, but he pushed her hands away rudely. He forced himself to his feet, grimacing in pain. "Forget it! He's here *now*!" The eyes he turned on the rest of the room were disturbing in their intensity. They were no longer a child's eyes, large and bright with innocence; instead they were narrow and dark, and terribly familiar. Kaoru was unable to suppress a slight shudder at the unnatural sight. //Kenshin's eyes. Warning us... //   
  
Shinta leaned heavily now on the rurouni. His counterparts looked at him with stricken expressions. "Just *go* already," he hissed at them. "Why are you waiting?"  
  
The older Kenshins exchanged uncertain glances. For once, they seemed to be in agreement; neither wanted Shinta out of their sight. "Go get the swords," the rurouni said quietly to Battousai after a moment. He glanced quickly at Kaoru, asking permission with his eyes.  
  
//Of course…they both need weapons, don't they? // Kaoru didn't need to think twice about her decision; she turned to Battousai. "You may use Father's sword, Kenshin. I trust you with it."  
  
The hitokiri blinked startled eyes at her, then nodded sharply in acknowledgement and ran from the room. The rurouni rose to his feet, his face grim. "I don't think I have to remind any of you of how dangerous this man has become. So far his only targets have been Akari-dono and I, but that could easily change. Akari-dono, I would urge you to remain inside."  
  
Akari frowned. Inside she still felt very confused about her husband, and she honestly didn't know if she wanted to see him or not. However… //Himura-san said I still have a chance to reach him. // She closed her eyes. // How did it come to this, Yanagi? You used to be such a good person. It was hard to see sometimes under that spoiled temper and arrogant sarcasm, but still, it was there. What happened to change you? Where did your heart go when I wasn't looking…and if you knew you were going mad, why didn't you ask for help? // Opening her eyes she looked up at Kenshin, a determined spark in her gaze. "I will not, Himura-san. I can't simply stand by and let him attack you again. It's unacceptable, and besides you said I may be able to help him. Whether that's true or not, I still have to try."  
  
"We're going out there too, Kenshin." Sanosuke smiled wryly. "After all, you did promise me a piece of that guy."  
  
"Only if I lost," the rurouni returned mildly, still looking at Akari with worried eyes.   
  
"You won't lose!" Yahiko said confidently. "And I'm gonna be there to make sure, too."  
  
Kenshin glanced at Kaoru and opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it. "I will not stay here, no matter what you say. He has hurt you long enough and I will make sure justice is served, by my hands if it comes to that."  
  
"Kaoru," Kenshin whispered, stunned. He didn't want anything to happen to her, she was the most precious thing in the world to him, but he knew that look in her eyes. His Kaoru was no coward and she would stand with him to the end, whether he approved or not.  
  
Battousai reentered the room on silent feet, katana already on his waist. He passed the Sakabatou to the rurouni and looked at Shinta with grim eyes. "Where is he now, Shinta-kun?"  
  
The child knelt next to the table, breathing deeply while Megumi examined his heavily bandaged chest. She met his tired gaze and shook her head slightly. He frowned. "In the yard. He hasn't moved. He's waiting for us, I think."  
  
"You should stay here." The rurouni began. "You are in no condition to—"  
  
"No! I *must* be there." The child's tone was emphatic and left no room for argument. He looked up at his split self. "This is our chance Rurouni-san; you know we can't stay this way any longer."  
  
"Aa," the rurouni agreed unhappily.   
  
Megumi sighed and looked up at Kenshin. "I can't do anything more for him right now. The best we can do is keep him protected and out of the way. Remember that if either of you are injured it will affect Shinta-kun as well, no matter where he is. You must be cautious in this battle." Her eyes held a clear warning. //He will die, Ken-san. // She felt the ache in her own heart. This man was so important to her, to everyone around him. In only half a year he had changed all of their lives forever, one by one turning them away from the dark paths they'd been following and giving them a second chance at life. Their collective happiness now rested on his well-being, and her woman's heart desperately wished that he really was invincible…even if her physician's logic said otherwise. //Kami-sama, please don't let him be hurt again. Please…// "Understand, Ken-san?"  
  
"Hai." He turned away, his face resigned. "Let's go."  
  
~*~  
  
Yanagi's hands fidgeted impatiently in the wide sleeves of his yukata as he waited for Himura to appear. He had changed clothes at the hotel, slipping unnoticed into their abandoned room to exchange his ruined suit for his favorite black kimono. He had been surprised to find that none of their belongings had been touched; evidently the hotel believed that they were eventually coming back. He laughed darkly at the thought. //They'll be disappointed. I'm never going there again. // He had abandoned his old life, the failed experiment. The past no longer mattered; everything depended now on this last confrontation.  
  
He rolled his head lazily on his shoulders, noting absently that Akari's aura was among the group of people clustered inside the house. He found that he didn't care in the slightest. //Have I finally become immune to love? Hate? Right now I feel nothing inside. Well, nothing but annoyance. // He amended silently as he sighed and glared at the closed shoji doors, which seemed to mock him with their stillness. Where the hell was Himura? They knew he was there; he could pick out the three pieces of the swordsman easily from the others, and a sharp flare of ki from one of the trio upon his arrival had told him he'd been detected. //Must be the child that noticed me. Powerful little creature…I'll have to be careful of him. //   
  
Inexperienced as he was in combat, Yanagi had gleaned enough valuable information from his handful of encounters with Himura so far to realize an important fact: while the child's skill with ki was intact, the older ones lacked the ability to use it. Somehow, when Himura's ki was separated it had not divided equally. //It's the only explanation. After all, last time I was able to parry Battousai's sword and escape with my life. That should have been impossible for someone like me. // Yanagi felt his lips lift in a cruel smirk. //The upper hand is mine, Himura. //  
  
He sensed movement within, and the doors to the house slid open. Several people filed out onto the porch, arranging themselves in a loose line before him. The three Himuras stood together in the center of the group, and Yanagi eyed them with interest. Battousai's furious ki hovered around him in a shimmering halo, barely within his control. The child's ki, to Yanagi's surprise, was much dimmer, wavering like weakening flames about his tiny body. He clutched the hitokiri's hand tightly, his face pale and drawn. He looked like he could barely stand, and Yanagi could see the thickly layered bandages underneath the open front of his gi. //Things must have gotten ugly after I left the other night. I may not have to worry about the kid after all. // The stern-faced rurouni held the child's other hand, his ki easily the weakest of the three. Yanagi could feel their hatred of him, could sense the frustration that lay behind their narrowed eyes. Each was doing his best to size Yanagi up, to assess his threat, but their condition handicapped any such efforts. His smirk broadened. He approached the porch slowly. "Hello, Himura. It's about time you came out. I've been waiting."  
  
"We know," the rurouni growled. In a gentle yet deliberate move, he reached down and pushed Shinta behind him. Battousai moved over to fill in the gap, hiding the boy from view. His golden eyes were narrowed and dangerous. "What do you want?"  
  
"A fight," Yanagi said simply, enjoying the anxious look that flickered through the rurouni's eyes. "Your ki against mine. Why are you hiding the boy, isn't he going to join in the fun?"  
  
"Kisama…" Battousai hissed. He crouched into an attack stance, his hand resting on the katana's hilt. Yanagi fully expected him to attack, but he didn't move any farther.  
  
Seeing his hesitation, Yanagi sneered at the hitokiri. "Come on Battousai, I've been wanting to match wits with you again. I'd leave the sword though; or are you afraid to fight me on my own terms?"  
  
"What are you saying?" Battousai remained in battou-juutsu stance, his eyes wary. "I won the last fight."  
  
Behind them, Shinta listened to the conversation with increasing apprehension. //He knows…somehow he knows that Rurouni-san and Battousai-san can only fight him with their swords. // He bit his lip nervously and tried to suppress the cough that threatened to rip through his chest again. He wished now that he hadn't stood up so suddenly when he'd first sensed Yanagi. Up until that moment he really had been feeling a bit better…not at full strength, certainly, but better than he had been. The abrupt movement seemed have aggravated the injuries to his chest, and now the irritation in his lungs refused to subside. He head spun and he found it took all his will just to remain standing behind his counterparts. //I shouldn't have worn myself out like that. I should have known better… // Squeezing his eyes shut guiltily, he could feel his friends trying to support him with their presence. He appreciated their efforts, but there was nothing they could really do to help him.   
  
"I wouldn't call it a win so much as a draw." Yanagi's tone was light. "After all, you didn't finish me off before so here I am now, calling on you again. Some victory."  
  
"This is unnecessary, Yanagi!" The rurouni's hand clenched angrily around the Sakabatou's hilt. "And this is hardly a fair match. What will you prove by challenging us in this state?"  
  
Yanagi's eyes narrowed to dangerous slits and a slight breeze moved through the courtyard, a breeze that touched none of the thin grasses growing near the walls. "That even the great Hitokiri Battousai can be defeated, if the challenger is strong enough."  
  
A sharp metallic *click* echoed across the yard as Battousai thumbed his katana from its sheath. His voice was low with anger. "This is a waste of time. If you came to fight, then fight. Otherwise, leave." To the side, so only the rurouni could hear, he muttered, "He can't defend if we take him together. Let's finish this quickly."  
  
Keeping a wary eye on Yanagi, the rurouni shook his head. "He is unarmed."  
  
Yanagi grinned. He'd heard the comment clearly. "Unarmed, you say? I never thought you were that naïve, Himura." The wind picked up sharply around him.   
  
In his mind's eye Shinta could see the sudden, aggressive flare in the man's aura; his eyes widened in alarm. "Look out!"  
  
Battousai didn't need to feel the shift in his enemy's ki; he could see the change in Yanagi's stance, and he was airborne before Shinta even opened his mouth, closing the gap to his opponent with alarming speed. Yanagi thrust his hands forward and the air before him seemed to distort and shake, as if disturbed by some great force. The hitokiri's body jerked in midair and, as if grabbed by an invisible hand, flew sharply sideways. He hit the ground hard and rolled quickly upright, pressing one hand to his injured shoulder. His face was twisted in frustration and pain. "Rurouni!"  
  
Shaking off his hesitation, the rurouni leapt skyward, bearing downward on Yanagi with a fierce cry. Laughing, Yanagi threw up a shimmering blue barrier that deflected the swordsman easily. Seeing what he thought was an opening Battousai rushed at his enemy's turned back, but Yanagi sensed him coming. Whirling about he dove for the ground, striking it with both fists. The moist soil of the courtyard exploded around him in a strange imitation of Do-Ryu-Sen, driving the young assassin back.  
  
Yanagi grinned triumphantly at his confused and frustrated opponents, his gray eyes alight with childlike glee. //I'm winning, I'm really winning! I really am strong! //  
  
Shinta watched the fight with growing dread. //This Yanagi is different than before…he's more focused on what he's doing this time. He really means to win, and so he seems much stronger. // He could already see that, even fighting together, his other selves were at a disadvantage. //Unless we're whole, I don't think we can beat him. // Himura Kenshin's skill with ki was strong, and Shinta could feel his small body pulse with the energy his master had long ago trained him to harness, but he didn't have his counterparts' physical strength. He couldn't use ki against Yanagi, not in a way that would be truly effective. Recombining with his other selves was the only answer, but after all this time that seemed like a distant dream. He had no idea how to recombine with the others, and even if he did…  
  
Seeming to come to some sort of agreement, the rurouni and Battousai struck together from opposite sides with twin Ryu-Shou-Sen. It took a tremendous amount of effort on Yanagi's part to counter both swordsmen's momentum and throw them aside. His grin faded somewhat as he backed off, keeping both of them in sight, trying to catch his breath. //Shit, they're fast *and* clever. I still don't have the endurance for this…I'll have to take them both out at once. //  
  
When his counterparts hit the ground, Shinta felt their pain as if it were his own. It took all his will to keep from blacking out. He wiped sweat from his face with a shaking hand and sank slowly to his knees, unable to stand up any longer. His time was running out, and he felt his throat tighten with fear. //Rurouni-san, Kenshin-san…please hurry… //  
  
~*~  
  
Strike, dodge, defend, protect…  
  
The rurouni barely avoided a shimmering wall of ki, which left deep gouges in the wet soil of the courtyard as it passed by. At the same moment, frustrated by Yanagi's strong defense, Battousai raised his sword and leapt high, his attack meant to cleave his enemy's spine in two.   
  
Attack, destroy, overwhelm…kill.  
  
//No! // The protest rang unexpectedly in Battousai's mind and he almost paused in his strike, which was again deflected by his enemy's ki. Darting out of range he looked towards the rurouni in confusion. //Was that him I just heard? // He shook his head sharply in denial and circled fast, looking for a weakness. He didn't like how this fight was going; for once his opponent was actually demonstrating patience and strategy, and unlike the times before he showed no signs of dropping his guard. //That has always been his fatal mistake: growing cocky and leaving an obvious opening. Could it be he's actually starting to learn from experience? Will wonders never cease. // Battousai glanced again at the rurouni. Amber eyes met tired violet orbs, and he again heard his own voice in his mind. //We are growing weaker. //  
  
The hitokiri felt his eyes widen with surprise. //What? //  
  
//We should fight together. //  
  
Battousai opened his mouth to reply, but his mind was quicker. //We *are* fighting together. //  
  
To his amazement, the rurouni seemed to understand. //No, we still do not act as one. // The wanderer fell back as Yanagi lunged at him again. He dropped to one knee and leaned on the Sakabatou for support, his badly bruised lungs protesting his exertions.   
  
Battousai ran to his counterpart and stood protectively in front of him. Putting aside the oddity of being able to hear the rurouni's thoughts, he concentrated on his opponent. Yanagi lifted his hands again, preparing another strike. //He will never stop, will he? Not until we are dead. That is what strength means to him; the death of his opponent. //  
  
The rurouni shook his head and reached out to touch Battousai's back. The teenager sucked in his breath at the contact; the rurouni's voice suddenly became much clearer in his mind. //No, that's not it. His anger isn't that well-defined; he doesn't know what he wants. He doesn't know what will happen once he "wins". He doesn't understand what winning is. //  
  
The hitokiri's eyes widened in realization, even as another part of him expressed disbelief at this idea. //He thinks he has a goal…but he doesn't? //  
  
The rurouni closed his eyes regretfully as Yanagi glared at them, his eyes gleaming silver slits. //He truly is empty, and that make him all the more deadly. //  
  
//Truly empty…// Battousai felt his heart grow heavy. //Like I once was? //  
  
//I don't know. // The rurouni admitted. //But there was something Kaoru said…//  
  
"He lives for himself," the hitokiri said aloud, "while we live for others. Those are two very different views of the world."  
  
~*~  
  
"Kenshin…" Kaoru crouched behind Shinta, her arms curled protectively around him. She was the only one who realized the significance of Battousai's seemingly random statement. The words were her own, spoken months ago when Kenshin had first told them about Yanagi. //What's going on out there? // There was something strange going on between the rurouni and hitokiri, but she couldn't for the life of her think of what it could be. Glancing at Akari, she was surprised to see the older woman trembling in anger, her furious eyes fixed on her husband. Kaoru wondered what was going through her mind, but she could guess as Shinta again shuddered in pain under her hands. She felt her own chest burn hot with outrage. //This is ridiculous. Kenshin doesn't deserve this; *no one* deserves this! We have to do something Akari-san, before we both lose the men we love…//  
  
Yanagi's maddened shriek rang across the yard. "Why are you just standing there? Fight, so I can defeat you!" A ball of light appeared in his hands; seconds later the glowing sphere was racing for the two Kenshins, traveling far too fast to dodge. Kaoru heard herself yell a warning just as Shinta broke out of her arms. She saw his small form race for his counterparts, a near-invisible shadow in the bright light that flooded the courtyard.   
  
"SHINTA!" Her cry was echoed by someone else, and she saw Sano leaping off the porch, his face full of an emotion she had never seen there before: fear.  
  
Shinta dodged in front of Yanagi's ki blast and spread his arms wide. Kaoru gasped as a halo of light suddenly surrounded the boy, deflecting the missile and forcing it in the opposite direction, back towards Yanagi. The man gave a yell of surprise and dove for the ground to avoid the attack. He wasn't quite fast enough; the ball of light grazed his shoulder as it passed, tearing a sizable hole in his kimono. The destructive concentration of energy raced away into the night, traveling several more feet before gradually fading out of existence.   
  
"Whoa…" Yahiko said loudly into the sudden stunned silence that followed. "Shinta, how'd you *do* that?"  
  
Even Yanagi looked a bit shaken as he got to his feet, gingerly clutching his burned shoulder. His surprise lasted only an instant however, then he was snarling in rage and striding toward the child, a mad light in his eyes.   
  
Shinta was in no position to defend himself; he was crouched on hands and knees, gasping desperately for air, the effort of deflecting Yanagi's attack having required more energy than he could really spare. Kaoru's heart hammered in her chest as she ran and placed herself behind Shinta. She wrapped her arms around him, her blue eyes blazing with their own fire. "That's enough, Yanagi! Stop this right now!"  
  
"Troublesome woman," Yanagi growled. His eyes flicked to Sano, who was advancing on him quickly, his fists raised. "Stop!" Yanagi raised a threatening hand toward Kaoru and Sano stopped reluctantly, his fists clenching in frustration. "I'm warning you now, Sagara. Interfere and I kill her." He glared at Kaoru with contempt. "Get out of the way."  
  
"What the hell do you want from us?!" Kaoru exploded back, tears stinging her eyes. Shinta sagged back against her chest, exhausted, his heartbeat fast and erratic under her hands. //Oh gods Shinta, please hang on! Don't die…// "Look at what you've done to Kenshin! Isn't that enough? You're strong, all right? You've proved it, now stop this!"  
  
Yanagi laughed at her, a terrible demented sound she had only heard before from one other man: Udoh Jine. "Nice try, but that's not going to cut it. Stand aside, or you may just suffer your husband's fate."  
  
Battousai snarled from behind her, and Kaoru gasped at ferocity of the sound. "Harm her and you will regret it, asshole. You know I don't bluff."  
  
"Neither do I." Yanagi replied coolly, striding boldly forward.   
  
Akari suddenly appeared in front of him, her brown eyes almost golden with rage.  
  
Yanagi blinked once. "A—"  
  
She stepped forward and slapped him hard across the face. "You selfish, arrogant brat! What do you think you're doing? You heard her; it's time for this childish nonsense to stop!"  
  
For a moment Yanagi just stared at her, stunned, one hand pressed to his stinging cheek. Slowly, he recovered his composure and leveled a dangerous glare at his wife, his sunken eyes fiercely indignant. "'Childish'? What the hell do you know; who are you to tell me anything!"  
  
"I'm you're wife, baka!" Akari's eyes blazed. "And it is *not* okay for you to go around taking out your emotional problems on innocent people! Who the hell do you think *you* are, behaving like this! You think defeating this man will really bring you happiness? I can't believe how immature you are!"  
  
"I'm not looking for happiness," Yanagi hissed at her, undaunted. "I'm looking for completion, something you couldn't give me!"  
  
"Oh, so that's *my* fault?!" Akari leaned into his face. "Don't you dare try and blame me for your insecurities, Shimizu Yanagi!"  
  
"I'm not blaming *you* for anything!" He yelled back, suddenly sounding defensive. "I'm only telling you the truth!"  
  
"How can I trust anything you say to me? You're nothing but a liar and a coward. Have you even stopped to think what you'll do if you *do* defeat Himura? How do you even plan on beating him? Are you going to kill him, is that how this is going to work? Did you even think that far ahead?"  
  
Engrossed in the unexpected marital spat, the Kenshin-gumi could only gape in amazement as Yanagi's face went momentarily slack with shock at her words. Battousai stared at his enemy in disbelief. //The rurouni was right. He has no idea what he's doing. // This was honestly the first battle he could recall where his opponent hadn't had some firm objective in mind. Usually, his enemies just wanted him dead for one reason or another. Never had anyone wanted to fight him "just because". //What did he think was going to happen here tonight? Is he really that deranged? //  
  
//Yes. // Battousai blinked at the sound of Shinta's voice in his mind. //Yes, he is. He acts without reason, and when he can't figure out *why* he's doing something, he panics and lashes out because he doesn't know what else to do with himself. His spirit is close to breaking. //  
  
"Shinta…" Battousai whispered. How was he hearing this? //Can you…hear me? //  
  
The child's head turned to look at him. //Yes, as I've been able to do since the beginning. Now, you and Rurouni-san can as well. The fracture is starting to heal. No matter what, we must keep fighting together. //  
  
The teenager gasped aloud. //Of course…it's so obvious! All this time we've been fighting against each other, instead of side by side…how could I not have realized it? //  
  
//Well, I didn't understand until just a few minutes ago. // Shinta smiled ruefully. //Don't feel too badly, Kenshin-san. //  
  
The rurouni watched them both with wide eyes. "Together…" he whispered.  
  
"Kenshin, what's wrong?" Kaoru twisted around and looked back and forth between the two older versions of her husband in growing concern. They weren't paying any attention to her. Instead there were staring intently into one another's eyes, their faces thoughtful. Almost as if…"Kenshin?"  
  
//We'll lure him away. // Battousai was thinking at the rurouni. //Away from Shinta and the others. //  
  
//The roof of the storage shed. // The rurouni suggested, his eyes flicking in that direction. //We'll attack from above. //  
  
//Fine by me. //  
  
"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Yanagi's enraged scream rent the air and he seized Akari by the throat with one hand. Throwing her aside with surprising strength, he lifted a glowing hand at the group before him.  
  
The world seemed to explode with light and Kaoru screamed reflexively in fear, curling instinctively around the boy in her arms. She felt him jerk against her, and through squinted eyes she saw him hold up a small hand against the blast, trying to weaken it with what little strength he had left. In that same moment the two older Kenshins ran by on either side of her. As they passed Yanagi they struck him with glancing sword blows, meant to distract rather than harm. He turned almost immediately to follow them. His attention broken, the attack vanished as if it had never been, the light quickly fading. Shinta fell back against her with a pained whimper, his body shaking uncontrollably. Overwhelmed, and amazed by the fact that she was unhurt, Kaoru looked up to see that both Kenshins had retreated up to the roof of the nearby bathhouse.  
  
"I-I'm so sorry, Kaoru…" Shinta's voiced threaded weakly to her ears and she looked down at him. She gasped in alarm. His skin was pale and sickly, and his sweat-dampened hair seemed almost black against the stark white of his face. He clutched her clothing with shaking hands and coughed weakly, his breathing unsteady. He looked up at her with unfocused eyes. "I…I guess I pushed myself a little too hard today, huh?" His laugh was hollow and weak. If the sound was meant to console her, it didn't work.  
  
"No…" she whispered, then stronger: "No!" Grabbing him by the shoulders, she gave him a careful shake and forced him to meet her gaze. "No, you're not allowed to just give up like that, do you hear me? I won't allow it!"  
  
"Kaoru…" he murmured faintly. //Oh, please don't cry…// He looked up into her crystalline blue eyes, brimming with tears of fear and grief, and berated himself for his stupidity. Her tears were his fault. They were always his fault, one way or the other. No matter how much he loved her, he always managed to make choices that caused her pain. Today, he had foolishly allowed himself to forget the limitations of his small body. He'd had nothing but the best of intentions of course; more than anything he had wanted to be well for Kaoru, to make her smile. //That was so selfish of me…even if it was for her, I shouldn't have forgotten. // He pulled himself up on Kaoru's kimono, and she whispered his name questioningly as he leaned heavily against her. Gathering his courage, unsure what her reaction would be, he pressed his lips tenderly against hers. She stiffened in shock, her hands tightening on his shoulders, and he closed his eyes against the waves of paralyzing pain that threatened to consume him at any moment. He pulled away slightly and rested his forehead against hers. "I…I will protect you, Kaoru. I don't want to give up but…I may not have a choice." His voice caught in his throat and he felt her tremble against him. He knew the pain he was causing her now, but in the end he knew he had accomplished his goal; his sacrifice had brought his two older selves together. Even without him they would be all right now; he was sure of that. "Don't cry koishii…it will be all right…" He was a little unprepared for her reaction.   
  
"Not without you it won't! Don't you dare leave me!" She crushed him hard to her chest, which heaved with silent sobs. Her tears fell like rain onto his hands. "You can't…"  
  
~*~  
  
"This isn't far enough away!" Battousai shouted at the rurouni, who had stopped dead on the roof, apparently unwilling to go any farther. The hitokiri understood why the wanderer was so anxious; some of his own senses, dulled by his long separation from his counterparts, were starting to return and they told him that Shinta was suffering greatly. Even so…"Come on, I thought we agreed on this!"  
  
The rurouni resisted the hand that pulled insistently on his gi. He looked at Battousai with despairing eyes. "We're out of time, and it's my fault!" Kenshin's voice was thick with grief. "I did this to us, to him! Shinta's dying."  
  
Down on the ground, there was a flurry of activity as both Sano and Yahiko tried to deal with a frantic Akari, who refused to be held back from her husband. Breaking free of Sano's grip, she ran forward and grabbed Yanagi's arms from behind, screaming at him to stop.   
  
Battousai saw this and knew the effort was futile; there was little she could do to stop a madman. There was nothing any of them could do. He turned away from the scene to face his older self. "Don't you dare blame yourself for this! You wouldn't have had to use the ougi if it weren't for me." He stepped closer to the rurouni. "Don't you get it? I'm the one who caused the conflict. I'm one who didn't understand." He reached out a hand to his split self, his eyes earnest. "That you and I…"  
  
Snarling in rage, Yanagi shoved Akari away. Aiming for the roof he let his attack fly, the gathered energy in his hands traveling toward the two swordsmen like a flaming star.   
  
Seeing the attack, Shinta gave a single frightened squeak and turned to reach out helplessly from the cage of Kaoru's arms. He could see what was coming, could feel it tear at his heart, and he prayed to every god he knew of to do something, *anything*…  
  
"KISAMA!" Sano lunged at Yanagi, grabbing the smaller man by the front of his robe and wrenching him around to face him. "You are SO dead!" He lifted his right fist, fully prepared to Futae no Kiwami the bastard's face into pulp, but the blow never landed. The roof above them exploded, the rain of debris sending them all scrambling for safety.   
  
~*~  
  
The roof disintegrated, bits of wood and clay tile filling the air. Even as the world came apart around them, the rurouni found he couldn't tear his eyes from Battousai, whose mouth was still silently forming words. "You and I…"   
  
The rurouni felt himself falling, and as the wind whipped his long red hair around his face his senses came alive and suddenly he could feel *everything*. His chest and shoulder burned with renewed vigor and he realized that the erratic heartbeat thundering in his ears was not his, but Shinta's. //We did this to each other. We were all so blind. // His heart and fractured soul reached out with a desperate agonized loneliness, wanting nothing more than to be whole again. //So blind, not to realize... // Battousai's face appeared in his mind's eye, not terrifying and insane but sincere and gentle. All this time, under his caustic and sarcastic exterior, his heart had been begging for acceptance and approval. The rurouni had withheld that support and trust from his teenaged self, in the vain and selfish hope that somehow the hitokiri within him would finally disappear, like the remnants of a bad dream. //But he can't disappear. He is a part of me and…for the first time, the thought doesn't frighten me. // He remembered his younger self inside the house, cradling Shinta with great tenderness, supporting him in his pain. And just a few moments earlier he had stood in front of Kenshin, protecting him from harm with a fiery determination that the wanderer admitted he lacked. //I can't exist without him. I *need* him. //  
  
He heard a shout from above, and opening his eyes he saw a shadow appear among the falling debris. Battousai was falling toward him, stretching out a long arm. The rurouni met his counterpart's eyes, a strange mingling of gold and violet, and saw the same desire mirrored within them. The rurouni reached for the hitokiri. //We are…//  
  
~*~  
  
Their hands met, and the entire yard was suddenly bathed in a blinding white light. Kaoru gave a shriek of surprise and threw a hand over her eyes. She heard Shinta gasp and then he was out of her arms and running, stumbling, crawling, trying desperately in his exhaustion to reach his counterparts before they hit the ground. Reaching their position he threw his hands up to the sky. The falling glow struck his hands and the pearly light engulfed him as well. He seemed to vanish as the shining mass slammed hard into the ground and lay still.  
  
The Kenshin-gumi gaped in shock, unable to believe what they had just witnessed. Akari pulled herself into a sitting position from where she'd been thrown by Yanagi. Her mind felt numb. "H-Himura-san…?   
  
"Kuso…" Sano whispered. He still had a firm grip on Yanagi's kimono. //He did it. I don't know how, but he put himself back together again. // Sano gave a silent cheer as the light dimmed to reveal a whole Kenshin, lying on his side in the rubble. Breathing heavily, his eyes tightly shut, Kenshin slowly shifted himself into a sitting position. Sano's relief quickly turned to dismay as the swordsman suddenly clutched at his head, his face twisting in agony and his mouth opening in a silent scream.   
  
~*~  
  
Light.  
  
*It hurts…it's painful light.*  
  
Images were swirling, mingling, the memories and physical sensations of three separate minds clashing and mixing together into one jumbled mess. The information refused to make sense of itself.  
  
*Too much!* The thought was a panicked scream, howled in three distinct voices. *Make it stop!*  
  
Some part of his mind moved his physical body, which was shaking and sweating with the effects of Shinta's very close brush with death. His lungs were searing flame. *No air.* His real mouth opened in a scream, even as the one in his mind continued to ramble on, the words making no sense.  
  
*Please, be quiet!* Rising slightly to the fore, the rurouni fought against the chaotic swirl of conversations from three perspectives, of actions and events that were foreign to him, memories that belonged to Shinta and Battousai.  
  
*We will not be quiet.* Battousai's voice was sympathetic, but unyielding. *You must choose.*  
  
Kenshin saw Shinta lying on a futon in Megumi's clinic, his tiny, battered form unnaturally still. Tears blurred his mind-vision, and Battousai spoke again. *I cried for him.*  
  
Shinta's voice surfaced now, mild with pleased surprise. *I didn't think you could. You truly have changed, Kenshin-san.*  
  
The rurouni felt terribly confused by his counterparts' banter. *What must I choose?*  
  
*Don't you know? The old choice.* Battousai's tone was matter-of-fact. *Who in the end will control this mind? Which face will you present to your family?*  
  
The rurouni balked at the question. The answer to that was not the same as it had once been, and he answered now with a new determination. *You mean…*our* family.*  
  
Shy, hopeful surprise. *Our?*  
  
The rurouni stretched out a mental hand, searching for his other self. *Where are you?*  
  
Battousai seemed almost timid. *You want to see me?*  
  
*Not just see!* The rurouni surprised himself with his insistence. He felt a tiny hand curl around his own, guiding him through fading glimpses of fireflies and snow. *Shinta?*  
  
*Who are you?* The voice was childish, yet thoughtful. The rurouni knew the question was a test.  
  
*I'm Himura Kenshin.*  
  
*And what does that mean? Who is that man?*  
  
The rurouni's fingers touched those of another and his vision shifted, filled now with blood and glinting steel. *My name means Heart of Sword. With that sword, I protect those around me. *  
  
The other's hand closed about his. *So do I.* The blood dimmed and shifted into a brilliant rainbow, reflected in a triangle of shining glass.  
  
*Why?* Shinta asked of them both. A simple question, one that held a thousand answers.  
  
The rurouni and Battousai responded as one, each acknowledging a single, defining belief. *It is my duty. My passion. My reason to be.*  
  
In his free hand the hitokiri held a tiny triangle of colored light; the rurouni did not yet understand its significance. *No one part of a person's soul can ever be completely destroyed. Suppressed maybe, but never destroyed. Remember?* The hitokiri smiled. *I'm the one who didn't understand. That you and I…*  
  
"Are one." Kenshin whispered aloud. The flickering images vanished, and like a sword sliding home into its saya he felt the pieces of his soul lock firmly together again, the three voices at last becoming one.  
  
//*I* am one. //  
  
~*~  
  
//No! Nononono…// Yanagi's felt his confidence evaporate as the chaotic swirl of Himura's ki suddenly solidified, shifting from flickering white to a brilliant blue. Himura's eyes snapped open, pools of violet ringed with gold, and his shrill battle cry sent icy shivers up Yanagi's spine. The overwhelming power of Himura's ki released itself, expanding out from the swordsman's body in a massive gust of wind. The wall of energy shattered the tiles clinging to the remnants of the bathhouse roof and blew old leaves from the corners of the yard, snapping them apart. The wind blew against him with the power of a massive fist, and he stumbled back against the man who still held him by the collar, his mouth dry. ///This can't be happening! If he's whole he's too strong, I can't—//  
  
And the enormity of his lie finally hit him. //I can't…//   
  
//Are you going to kill him, is that how this is going to work? Did you even think that far ahead? // Akari's voice was outraged, filling his mind, refusing to be ignored.  
  
//Pathetic weakling. // Yanagi gasped aloud at the sound of Jine's oily voice and looked around for the source of the insult, even as logic assured him that the swordsman was dead. Nevertheless, the voice continued. //You think you're strong? You think *you* can defeat a man like Battousai? //  
  
Kenshin approached silently, and Yanagi started to squirm frantically in Sano's grasp, gripped by a sudden mindless terror. //He's whole and he's going to kill me, I'm dead, I'm so dead— // If he hadn't been in such a panic he would have noticed the swordsman's deathly pale face and unsteady walk. Kenshin cradled his left arm against his chest, his breath coming in short, pained gasps. He was in no condition to attack anyone, but all Yanagi could see was the fierce intensity of his opponent's eyes. Misinterpreting Kenshin's pained expression as malice Yanagi tried again to pull away, but Sano's grip was steel.  
  
The streetfighter gave his captive a vicious shake and leaned down to snarl in his ear. "Not so tough now, are you? What, did your precious little ki powers run out or something? Damn coward."  
  
"Sano." Kenshin's voice was quiet and even. The others watched his approach with apprehension. They didn't know what was going through his mind now, and they weren't sure what he would do. //He *is* going to get revenge, right? // Sano searched Kenshin's face curiously. //The guy sure deserves it, and that's all that Battousai's been screaming about for days. //  
  
Yanagi's mind was trying frantically to reassure him. //I'm no coward! I knew what I was doing, I did! //   
  
Jine's voice was filled with icy amusement. //Then why did you have to cheat to defeat him? // Frustrated, Yanagi tried to summon another surge of ki, but nothing happened. His ki-sight was gone. //What? Why? Why can't I— // Jine's laughter grew in volume, further scattering Yanagi's concentration. "Go away…" he whispered, no longer sure who he was speaking to.  
  
The small swordsman stopped less than a foot away. For a long moment he simply glared at his enemy, his eyes bright with anger. "I am not your answer." Faster than Sano's eye could follow, Kenshin grabbed the front of Yanagi's kimono and drove his other fist hard into the man's gut. Yanagi choked and fell forward past Kenshin, dropping to his knees with the force of the blow.  
  
Releasing him, Kenshin stepped back and opened his arms wide, despite the pain it must have caused him. "There. I've struck first, for the first time since this whole farce began. You're justified now, so come here and defeat me. If you know how, that is."  
  
"What?" Confused, Yanagi could do nothing but stare back. He paled several shades at his sudden lack of ki. The power simply wouldn't come to him now, no matter how hard he tried.   
  
Kenshin's expression was carefully neutral as he studied Yanagi's wild gray eyes. "Well? What are you waiting for?"  
  
Sano exchanged confused glances with Kaoru, and he could see that mentally she was asking the same question. Which Kenshin stood before them…Rurouni or Battousai? Or was it both? //He's being really harsh. // Sano thought, looking back at his friend. //Yanagi's really pissed him off this time. That's no mean feat. // Kenshin usually had a very slow fuse; it took a lot to make him genuinely enraged, and Sano knew from personal experience that it was never wise to be the subject of this particular hitokiri's wrath.   
  
"Did you mean to kill me tonight?" Kenshin's voice, while still low and unassuming, also carried an edge of steel that kept Yanagi frozen in place. "You keep saying that you want to be strong, and that your strength means defeating me. So defeat me!"  
  
Yanagi opened and closed his mouth several times, looking ridiculously like a fish caught on a hook. He had failed in his goal, completely and utterly failed. His last reason for existence had finally been knocked away. Even after all the damage he had done to this man, Himura Kenshin was still stronger. Yanagi felt his mind crumble from within. "I…"  
  
Kenshin scowled at him, his voice carrying an edge of impatience. "Well? What is it you want?"  
  
"To be strong." The response was automatic, another lie in an endless string of lies.   
  
"Why?" When Yanagi did not answer, Kenshin slowly lowered his arms, his eyes blue fire. "I will tell you right now," Kenshin growled, his eyes shining with Battousai's spirit, "that weak-spirited strength like yours will *never* defeat someone like me." He loomed over Yanagi, who was stared up at him with something akin to horror. "You really are a fool. I didn't come this far and suffer so long to be overpowered by a man with no spirit of his own."  
  
Yanagi made a small squeak of dismay in his throat. Sensing weakness Kenshin continued, unrelenting. It was cruel, but there was only way he could see to disarm his opponent now. "You want to know what I think? I think that you came to my home and ripped my soul apart for no reason at all, because it amused you to see us suffer, to see me squirm. It made you feel just a little bit better about yourself, because you have no worth of your own, do you? You have no idea what you really want."  
  
"I-I know what I want…" Yanagi protested faintly.  
  
Kenshin actually bared his teeth at him, his eyes flashing briefly gold. "No, you *don't*. As Akari-dono so accurately pointed out earlier, you are taking out your own insecurities on me needlessly. I am *not* your answer, I never was! Get up and face reality! Are you honestly going to sit there and tell me that Jine's treacherous strength is enough to satisfy you? I can see it in your eyes: you know that this path is wrong, that it has failed you. Don't become him, Yanagi! Stop relying on the power of others and find your own strength. You have a woman standing over there who cares for you and who wishes for your safety, even after everything you've done. Does that mean nothing to you?"   
  
Yanagi suddenly screamed and grabbed at his hair, shaking his head in denial. "Shut up! I knew what I was doing, dammit! I'm not Jine, I'm not, I'm NOT!" He lunged at Kenshin, but there was no strength behind the blow. Kenshin sidestepped him easily and tripped him with his foot, sending the other man sprawling. Recovering his balance Yanagi turned around…and looked completely stunned when Kenshin drove a fist into his jaw. Yanagi dropped heavily to the ground and this time didn't get back up. Instead he lay there brokenly.   
  
"Himura-san!" Akari ran forward and placed herself in front of Yanagi. "Please stop!" She pulled her unresisting husband into her lap, holding him close.   
  
"I'm not Jine I'm not…" Yanagi whispered hoarsely, staring at Kenshin with unseeing eyes. His soul had finally broken…just as Shinta had said it would. No one with so little sense of himself could use his ki against others; Yanagi was harmless now. Kenshin sighed regretfully and turned away from the pair, looking with exhausted eyes into the faces of his friends.  
  
"Kenshin," Kaoru whispered, her voice timid with uncertainty. "Are you all right?"  
  
He smiled faintly at her, his bluish eyes darkening slowly to violet. He blinked slowly, his vision starting to fade out. "Yes…" His eyes closed and he fell forward limply. Kaoru ran and caught him, holding him tightly and sinking to her knees, his head cradled against her shoulder.  
  
Two couples, Sano thought wonderingly, both odd reflections of each other. One pair of souls was destroyed, torn apart by lies and broken trust. The other pair had also broken, but in the end had found the strength to heal itself. As he, Yahiko and Megumi helped Kaoru get the unconscious swordsman inside the house, Sano hoped that Kenshin was right. That from now on, everything would finally be all right.  
  
TBC…  
  
A/N: WHEE!! Oh my God, this ran *so* long. This chapter proved extraordinarily difficult to write (as you probably guessed from the long delay—gomen, minna-san). Since this chapter is essentially one long scene, it kept feeling like it was dragging and bogging down, and I had trouble finding a way to break it up so that it would keep being interesting. Action is always difficult to write anyway, and trying to get all the character development in there at the same time—whew!   
  
Oh, and for those who don't know "Kisama" is a very, very rude version of you (like calling someone a bastard or something worse than that). Take that Yanagi! ~_^  
  
So, to sum up: our beloved Ken-chan is whole again (yay!) though Battousai's essentially gone (Mou! I really loved writing him too…), and Shinta's back to his usual role of…um…playing with kids I guess. But hey, I think he's happier that way anyway ^_^ As for Yanagi, I know I probably didn't kick his ass enough to satisfy everybody—hell, *I'm* not satisfied with it—but as I sat there writing and rewriting those portions of this chapter I realized that it just wasn't in Kenshin's character to deliver a serious ass-beating to a guy who doesn't use a sword (and don't point out Sano, 'cause he had his Zanbatou the first time around and he's a lot tougher than Yanagi), and besides Kenshin was in such poor physical condition by this point I didn't think he'd have the energy to do more than punch the guy around a little anyway. I wanted Yanagi's punishment to be more mental than physical and I hope I pulled that off the way I intended to.   
  
Okay, next time, the epilogue! Lots of wrap-up, deep emotional moments, some funny stuff, introspective commentary and a bunch of WAFF ^_^ Also, the end (?) for Yanagi and Akari. See you for part 15!   
  
A/N #2: And for your pleasure, Imbrium loved my fic so much she was inspired to write a Battousai vignette, and it's really good! (her writing is superior to mine I daresay…) It's posted as an extra bonus chapter after this one, please read and review for it! I think she did an excellent job, and I am honored beyond words that someone would take the time and energy to add an unexplored moment to my humble fanfiction. Domo arigatou gozaimasu, Imbrium-san! ^_^x 


	17. Guest Vignette: Tainted Mirror by Imbriu

Tainted Mirror: a Vignette of Prism  
  
A/N: Konban wa! I am the immortal Imbrium Iridum, a wonderful and illustrious fanfic author--*Battousai raises eyebrow at her* *she sighs*--Okay, okay, so I'm Imbri, and I'm some poor teenager trying to write mediocre fanfiction -_-;; I'm a hapless fangirl, and I'm not sure if it's legal to write a fanfiction of a fanfiction, but oh well. Yesterday I sat down and read the whole of Calger's Rurouni Kenshin archive--*sighs*--and I just felt inspired, I guess.   
  
When I read the scene where Hitokiri Battousai is sitting by Shinta's bedside, I found it strangely poignant, and I wondered how he had got there and what was going through his mind…so I wrote what I was thinking down, and voila! We have a painfully short, one-scene fanfic!   
  
Conventions: *…* is emphasis, //…// is thoughts  
  
Kenshin the Battousai awoke from a dream of blood and fire with a dry gasp and a wrenching pain. It took several long, aching moments for his amber-gold eyes to clear; in his mind, he still saw the shadowy after-images of his dreams, and was yet unable to recognize his surroundings.   
  
Swords and starlight disappeared; Kenshin realized he was in some sort of infirmary, dressed in plain white patient's clothes, lying with his sore back against a blissfully clean futon. He took a long, shallow breath of relief—he was safe in this infirmary, it was no battle field—and the breath positively caught fire in his chest, tearing at him ravenously with pain.   
  
One long-fingered hand scrabbled at the thin juban he was wearing—his chest: it burned, it ached, his lungs were surely in flames from the pain. Kenshin managed to shrug off the white material, and his shaking fingers felt, rather than saw, the deep, bruising gouge etched across his chest and belly like a terrible purple grin.   
  
The ougi. And he remembered.   
  
"Rurouni!" he whispered hoarsely into the still, tired darkness of the infirmary room. "I'm so sorry—I didn't mean to hurt you; it was a madness that caught me…I apologize! Rurouni, did you hear me? I *apologized*! Now you're supposed to accept the apology and come comfort me, dammit!"  
  
But the Rurouni didn't hear. Kenshin closed his eyes and searched for him, this other awareness that was truly himself and yet an individual, as well. But throwing his ki out to find the Rurouni was like throwing a ball out with no one there to catch it; the awareness jumbled and bounced about without finding the other man. Either he was in too deep a sleep to feel the Battousai's mental prodding, or he was…   
  
A panic set in, one that Kenshin had to swallow to keep down.   
  
//What if the wanderer is dead? // Queried a small, frightened voice deep inside the Battousai. // What if we killed him? What would we do, then, Hitokiri? // The voice, much to his dismay, sounded uncomfortably like Shinta. He struggled to ignore it, but the voice was louder now, and accusing.   
  
//You murderous viper! Rurouni is all of you that is good and just—and because you don't understand him, you kill him! Maybe not physically, but your anger and irrational wrath towards him wears him down, bit by bit, like a statue in the wind. // Kenshin squeezed his eyes shut; the voice was like a roar in his head, threatening to split him apart with its angry words. His breath came ragged and short now as he suppressed tears, making his burning lungs cry for reprieve.   
  
Kenshin doubled over coughing, and blood spotted his white futon like some sort of morbid abstract art. There was blood in his mouth, and he gagged, remembering drinking sake but only tasting blood.   
  
Battousai heard his Shishou's words: "Sake is good, ne? You'll taste it someday, my baka deshi, but remember this: when something as good as sake tastes as rotten as blood, surely there is something rotten inside you."  
  
//Is there something rotten in me, Shishou, eating me alive? //  
  
It was suddenly too much. Kenshin scrambled to the empty basin beside the futon and was abruptly, violently sick in it. He felt dirty inside and out, wiping his mouth with his sleeve and gagging again. Trembling, Kenshin managed to scoot back into bed, drawing the covers over his shaking form. He was hot to the touch, and yet he felt chilled inside.   
  
//A slight fever, // he told himself. // Your fault for fighting out in the rain, ahou. I truly am a stupid weakling, eh, Shishou? //  
  
But again, nobody was there to answer him. This was no wonder—he doubted anyone with half a brain would come to visit an assassin, no matter how sick he claimed to be. And after the stunt he had pulled…nobody would forgive him for that. The family all loved their Rurouni far too much to forgive his murderous other half for trying to kill him. Well, that was not completely true—Shinta would forgive him; he always did.  
  
And then the thought slapped him hard.   
  
What of Shinta?   
  
Was the little one alright?  
  
Kenshin struggled out of bed again, mentally cursing his feet to movement. Not that Shinta cared if he was strong or not. If nothing else, Shinta was the heart of Himura's three selves: he knew the other two parts far better than they knew themselves, and his nature was as blind and loving as that of the small child he represented. Kenshin shuffled along miserably, stumbling occasionally because of his feverish, light-headed state, and was very glad that nobody was awake to see him roam about without his usual cat-like grace.   
  
He hit his shoulder on the doorframe and a sudden pain flared up. Kenshin launched into a long string of curses, some of which Kaoru would blush to hear come from his mouth. He slid his sleeve off of the offending shoulder—the material was wet and sticky with his sweat and some still-drying blood—and cursed again. The wound was all bandaged now, but it must have been a hell of a deep strike. Had the Rurouni given him that as well?   
  
//Mou, mou, mou, MOU! Rurouni, when I get my hands on you, I'll--   
  
You'll what? Kill him? Ooh, good plan! That worked SO WELL last time, too! //  
  
Kenshin shoved the icily sarcastic voice into the back of his head and stalked into the room. He stopped when he realized his mistake; this was not Shinta's room, it was Rurouni's. And the wanderer wasn't alone, either; Kenshin's stomach did a nasty flip when he realized the form curled up next to the Rurouni was Kaoru, all black hair and white skin. She had fallen asleep caring for her husband, his other half.  
  
Kenshin felt as if he had stumbled upon something very personal and unfamiliar, yet so very familiar--something that was achingly his. He felt, horribly enough, like an intruder, even though it was his wife lying there, and his split self as well. Kenshin wanted to touch her. He wanted to tell the Rurouni he could be trusted. He wanted to tell the whole family that he was human, too, and that he loved them in his own caustic ways.   
  
But on what basis could they believe him?  
  
They wouldn't believe him, he realized, and there was nothing he could do to force them.   
  
He felt sick again, but there wasn't anything left for his stomach to heave. Swallowing repetitively, he lurched on, forcing himself to concentrate solely on that dimly shining star of ki that was Shinta.  
  
Kenshin found him, of course, farther down the hallway that tipped and tilted crazily beneath his shuffling feet; he broke into a sticky sweat as his fever continued to rise. Everything wavered before his tired eyes like the after-images of nightmarish dreams. But he concentrated hard, and found his childish other-self.  
  
The room was not at all unlike the one he had found Kaoru and Rurouni in—for a moment he even wondered if he had somehow gotten turned around in his wooziness…until he saw the small, exhausted heap lying on the futon.   
  
He paused, and a lump formed uncomfortably in his throat.   
  
"Forgive sessha," he gasped, and fell to his knees.  
  
The small boy was curled up like a kitten on his mat, shaggy red hair hanging into his closed eyes, exposed skin shining whitely in the moonlight, his face a pale thumbprint in the dark. He was a study of opposites splashed with blood: red hair, white skin, black shadows. His breathing was wet and shallow, the sound of birds ruffling their feathers in the darkness.  
  
At first look, Shinta seemed to be fine. Maybe even sleeping peacefully. But Kenshin, even without ki, could sense the pain and sorrow hanging about the boy like a knotted, twisting cloud.  
  
In that moment, Kenshin wished with every fiber of his being that he hadn't berated the child earlier, that he wasn't always yelling and cursing at the cherubic splinter of himself. He remembered the giggling boy who had tackled him into the laundry tub, scattering clothing and bubbles. The look on Shinta's face had been exuberant with abandon, purely happy to be with Battousai, and play with him. And what was Kenshin's first reaction? To take out his own irate embarrassment at being caught off-guard on Shinta, yelling at him. He had stripped him of that jubilant happiness just with his harsh words. And for what?   
  
And he cried. He took the little boy's hand and kissed it, and wished he could take his pain, but in the end he couldn't deal with Shinta's pain any better than he could deal with his own. He touched the tiny, gouged chest and the little wounded shoulder. He wept, and the unfamiliar hot tears slid down his hot skin and pooled on the hot hand that was fisted in anger.  
  
Anger at himself, the stubborn, self-righteous fool; anger at the wanderer, the peace-drunk, disillusioned old man; anger at Shinta and his youthful weakness; anger at Yanagi, the twisted fraud, bloated on his own power, who had done this to them in the first place.   
  
Kenshin wanted to scream, he wanted to rant, he wanted to vent his anger somehow, but the sight of Shinta, curled up and whimpering in his sleep suddenly deflated his anger like a popped balloon and the tears flowed once more. He laid on the futon with his younger self snuggled close to him and sobbed.   
  
//I am broken, now, // he realized with a spike of sorrow. // What use is a warrior who protects those he loves when no one loves him in return? //   
  
Instinctively, Shinta felt his pain and reacted. He inched closer to Battousai, nuzzling himself into the safety of his proverbial 'oniisan's' arms. Kenshin hugged him gratefully until the tears stopped, feeling suddenly very tired and old. But he was at peace, now, despite everything.   
  
Shinta forgave him.  
  
It was his fault—all of this—but he forgave him and still wanted him near. The wanderer had said that Shinta was simply looking out for their peace and well-being. He was the literal glue that held the three together; a mediator of sorts.  
  
Kenshin kissed his hot little forehead and fell asleep lulled by his soft breathing.   
  
This time, there was no blood or fire haunting his dream plane: only light.   
  
When he heard the footsteps in the hallway, Kenshin awoke groggily and slid out of bed. Unfortunately, that sudden dizziness returned and he let it take reign. He crumpled, the upper half of his body resting on the bed just below the child's feet, his head resting in the crook of his folded arms, his face hidden. There was a creak of a foot on the floor. Kenshin looked up and asked "Oro?" to the darkness before he even caught himself. The Battousai usually frowned at the little by-word that was thought of as uniquely the Rurouni's, but in this quiet moment of misery, it was like having a little bit of his peaceful self with him. He heard the nervous pause in the doorway, the slight giggle at the familiar 'oro-ing' form huddled on the floor, and knew it was Kaoru even before her soft voice said, "Kami-sama! …Kenshin? Are you all right?"  
  
//Am I all right…? //  
  
The guilt washed over him again, and he buried his face deeper in his arms, hoping to hide the prickle of tears in his eyes.   
  
Kaoru knelt next to him, her gentle hand on his shoulder. Her touch was cool on his hot shoulder, and he welcomed the contact. Anything to get his mind off of Shinta's precarious health.  
  
"It's all my fault…Mada honno kodomo desu, Kaoru-dono. "   
  
//Oh, Shinta…why am I such a shattered part of you? Why can't I fit into the mirror--am I such a radically made piece of glass?   
  
Am I so tainted that I cannot be a part of the whole? //  
  
Hitokiri Battousai, the awesome, feared warrior, suddenly was overcome again. He hung his head and allowed his weakness to show.   
  
And Kaoru felt his pain and drew him near.   
  
Glossary:  
  
Konban wa: good evening  
Ja, sayonara: well, goodbye  
Ne: right?  
Baka deshi: Hiko's affectionate tag on Kenshin, meaning stupid apprentice  
Sake: Rice wine  
Shishou: Master  
Ahou: Moron  
Sessha: This unworthy one  
Oniisan: brother  
Kami-sama: God  
Mada honno kodomo desu: He is a mere child  
  
Calger's note: I was truly in awe as I read this. There it was, my own plot, analyzed and expanded on take advantage of an unexplored moment in Battousai's character development, which Imbrium so perfectly and touchingly described. For me, it really validated what I've been writing for so long (believe it or not, since last July—9 months!!) and actually made me aware of some things going on with the characters I hadn't consciously realized were there. Always a good thing ^_^ I've never had such an honor before, and I really do see this as an official part of the story, hence why I'm posting it as its own chapter. Please please review this bit and let Imbrium know what you think of her work! ^_^ 


	18. Vignette: Myojin Yahiko

Prism Vignette: Myojin Yahiko  
  
by Calger459  
  
Conventions: //…// is thoughts, *…* is emphasis  
  
Disclaimer: Nope, no RK rights here. Just borrowing.  
  
This is a short scene between Yahiko and Shinta, placed just after the end of chapter 8b, from Yahiko's POV. Enjoy! ^_^  
  
~*~  
  
Looking back on everything that happened that week Kenshin was separated, I guess you could say I was in a kind of shock through most of it. Granted, I'd seen some weird stuff since meeting Kenshin. Let's see, that man-giant Gohei, Henya the Flight (really, how did that guy make himself look like a bat? Gross…), and that giant Fuji guy. Then of course there was Enishi and his whole crew of weirdoes, and….well, Kenshin's story.  
  
Okay, so that was something I heard rather than saw, but Kenshin has this knack for describing things with words. When he described the Bakumatsu for us you really *saw* those murders in your head, as if you were actually there. He's so close-mouthed all time it was bizarre to hear him talk so much in one sitting, and his life before he met all of us, when he still lived in Kyoto…it was horrible, terrifying. The things that he did back then, and the effect it had on his mind…I'll admit that his story really scared me. I'd heard (and believed) so many legends about Battousai, but when I learned who Kenshin really was I stopped believing some of them. Obviously, most of that stuff was really exaggerated, and while they *were* based on the truth Kenshin wasn't like the guy in the stories. Right?  
  
Then Yanagi came and split Kenshin into three, and I didn't know what to think anymore. Battousai attacked Sano, just like that. He could have killed him if he wanted to, and even though he didn't…I was still scared of him, of what he could do. I remembered Battousai, from that duel with Saitou, and how I was so terrified by the murderous look in those flat, cold eyes I could hardly breathe. The rurouni kept the hitokiri reined in…we all knew that, even if we didn't really understand it. Now, thanks to Yanagi, Battousai was free to do what he wanted, and I didn't know what to expect from him. None of us did, not even Kaoru.  
  
I look back on it all, and the *strangeness* of the situation still makes my head spin a bit. What really sticks out in my mind though is Shinta, and what happened the night Battousai ran off to fight Yanagi on his own.  
  
I remember feeling like I was going to throw up when I heard the hitokiri was gone. Battousai was insane, he was out of control, he had taken Kenshin's sword and I was sure, so horribly sure, that Yanagi wasn't going to survive the night. Battousai had personally killed hundreds of people, and no one could match his skill with a blade. No one. Just because I was afraid of him didn't mean I didn't respect him. Kenshin was still Kenshin, though at the time my brain refused to admit that. It took having a talk with Battousai himself to clear up that misunderstanding.  
  
But getting back to the point, I went to bed early that night and sat alone in my room, waiting tensely for the news I was sure would come. I think I fell asleep at one point, far too exhausted by the day to keep my eyes open any more. Later I woke up, and for a moment I wondered why…then I heard voices down the hall.  
  
It was *them*. Battousai had returned, and now the two of them were arguing. I couldn't understand their words, but I could hear the anger in their voices and I felt myself tremble. No, it couldn't be true. He wouldn't have…  
  
The arguing died off a few minutes later, and I heard the padding of small feet coming down the hall. The steps stopped outside my room and I felt my eyes widen in surprise when Shinta slid open the door and slipped inside.  
  
If Battousai was intimidating, Shinta was downright unnerving. He had confused all of us ever since his appearance. As I said, we'd all been aware of the differences between the rurouni and Battousai. It was just how Kenshin was, one of his many quirks that for the most part we accepted without question. Shinta though…I didn't understand him at all. He seemed, on the outside, to be Kenshin's sense of humor and fun, and the rurouni had remarked once that Shinta was what was left of his innocence. Okay, I could see all that…but there was more to this little kid than that. Far more. "Hey, what happened out there?"  
  
Shinta turned around and his eyes made me gasp a little bit. Damn, those weren't the eyes of a kid at all! They were narrow and angry, and if they had been gold instead of violet I could have sworn that they belonged to someone else…  
  
I bit my lip, hard, to keep myself from saying anything really stupid and I tried not to stare as Shinta walked silently past me. That was another creepy thing about him. Little kids walked of course, but it was a quick kind of toddle, sort of light and bouncy. Shinta never walked like that…he *strode* wherever he went, with the sure steps of an adult. He didn't move like a kid either. Kids are clumsy, they stumble and trip over things all the time, and when they're doing basic everyday stuff they always hesitate because they haven't had a lot of practice yet.  
  
It's strange the things you learn to notice when you're living as a pickpocket and you have to observe people so you can catch them off guard.   
  
I watched as he unrolled his futon and dragged it over next to mine. He was all expertise as he laid out the covers and small pillow, his movements quick and neat. Everything about him just screamed Kenshin, and I wondered why everyone treated him like he was a little kid. Even Kaoru did that; of all people she should have known better, after all she's married to the guy. The adults patted him on the head, cuddled him, talked to him in high cutesy voices…as if he were exactly what he appeared to be. I didn't see a kid when I looked at him though, maybe because I'm a kid too. Takes one to know one, right? To me it was so obvious; just because his body was small didn't mean his mind had shrunk any, and I could tell something was really bothering him as he burrowed under the covers and turned away from me, apparently not in the mood to talk.  
  
Well too bad, because I was dying of curiosity. "Shinta, what happened?"  
  
He shrugged his tiny shoulders at me and I felt my nervousness turn to annoyance. I hated it when Kenshin wouldn't tell me what was going on. "Hey, Battousai came back, right? I heard them arguing about something. He didn't, I mean is Yanagi—"  
  
"No." Shinta's voice was very quiet, and strangely cold. "He's still alive, Yahiko-san."  
  
"Oh." I said, unable to keep the relief out of my voice. "Well, that's a good thing right?" I looked over at him and saw that his whole body was trembling. I blinked in surprise. "Hey, are you all right?"  
  
Shinta suddenly sat up and hugged his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms tight around his legs. He pressed his face into his knees. "They're so angry at each other all the time, even more than when we were together. It hurts me."   
  
"Do they know that?" I asked uncertainly. This was creepy, but kind of intriguing in a sick, twisted sort of way. Just what was Shinta, anyway?  
  
He shook his head and looked up at me, and I shivered at the haunted look his eyes.  
  
"I can't tell them. There's nothing they can do about it, and it would only make them worry."  
  
I snorted at that. "Battousai wouldn't worry. He only cares about himself." Sometimes I really do deserve it when Kaoru beats me over the head with her shinai, and right then I wished she were there, because I sure deserved to be hit for that particular comment. I wanted to pull my words back into my mouth as Shinta straightened up and looked at me in horror.   
  
"How can you think that?" Shinta asked after a long moment, his tone hurt. "He went there because he wanted to protect us."  
  
"Oh come on!" My mouth was running faster than my mind, and I couldn't seem to shut myself up as I plunged ahead. "He just wanted revenge, that's what he's wanted since the beginning! There's nothing good about that guy, he's cold and violent and rude and…and…" My words ran out, and I realized that I was shaking, and my eyes stung. Why was I so upset all of a sudden?  
  
Shinta was staring at me with a startled expression, which turned thoughtful as I fought to get myself under control. I sat back and scrubbed an arm across my face, scowling to hide how upset I was. Shinta had noticed though; it was impossible to hide anything from him. That, more than anything else, made him seem like Kenshin. I looked down at the futon. A second later I felt his small hands on my shoulders. "Did revenge bring me from Rakuninmura to save you, Yahiko-san?" I couldn't hide my gasp of shock, and I looked up into his gentle eyes, which were only a few inches from mine. "Does Himura Kenshin live for revenge?"  
  
I gaped stupidly at him. Where the hell did *that* come from?! Kenshin *knew* how much I hated thinking about that! I blinked in sudden realization. He knew…and that was why he was mentioning it. Why had I said that about Battousai? Because Sano had…but Sano hadn't been there then, hadn't seen how hard we'd tried to get Kenshin out of that hellhole he'd retreated to. Talk of revenge had meant nothing to him…it was only when I was in danger that he finally found enough strength and purpose to move. "No," I answered weakly, too stunned to say anything else.  
  
Shinta nodded slightly, and I think that's when I finally began to understand. This was the part of Kenshin who could read ki, who could predict his opponents and understand their feelings. I knew Shinta couldn't actually read minds, but wasn't being able to read my emotions just as effective? //He's very powerful. // I thought in awe, and newfound respect. "He frightens you." Shinta said suddenly into the silence. He was stating a fact, not an opinion, and he knew that I knew that. "You really don't understand him."  
  
"And you do?" I countered harshly, knowing it was unreasonable. Hadn't what he just asked me a minute ago proved that he understood the hitokiri? Still, I was very confused right then and I couldn't help my reaction. Shinta's hands squeezed my shoulders briefly, reassuringly, and he scooted away from me, settling back onto his own futon.  
  
"Of course I do, he's me." I looked up at him sharply and opened my mouth to deny it, but was stopped by the look in his eyes. *Kenshin* was looking at me now. Those dark eyes, full of wisdom and experience, couldn't have belonged to anyone else. Shinta smiled slightly. "But somehow, I don't think you'll accept that hearing it from me. You'll have to talk to Kenshin-san and let him explain."  
  
Well *that* was a terrifying thought. "I don't want to talk to that guy, he—"  
  
"Kenshin-san would never hurt you." Shinta's voice was quiet and deep. I stilled at the confident tone in his voice. Were my thoughts really that obvious? Still, Kenshin was never wrong, not about things like this. I found that I believed him. "He didn't hurt Yanagi-san," Shinta continued. "Sanosuke-san was there to stop him, so it's all right. Good night, Yahiko-san."  
  
I blinked as he lay down and turned away from me again. That was it? "Shinta…"  
  
"Yes?" he asked politely, his voice muffled under the heavy futon blanket.   
  
I sighed and lay down, suddenly too tired to think about this anymore. "Never mind."  
  
A long while later I finally fell asleep, more confused than ever. It would have been really nice to sleep in that morning, seeing how late I'd been up, but Shinta apparently had other plans. He woke me just before dawn, all traces of adult seriousness gone (or more likely just very well-hidden) as he played prank after prank on me, until we were both running around the room, laughing and playing like…well, like a couple of kids.  
  
Now that I look back on it, that was probably intentional on Shinta's part. Nothing that kid did or said was without purpose. I think he could tell how much the situation had affected me. Out of everyone, he was the only one who seemed to remember that I was still young, and that I had needed a break from the stress, even if it did deprive me of some much-needed sleep. It was thanks to him that I finally did have that talk with Battousai…and came to the earth-shattering realization that he really *was* Kenshin, and that Shinta had been right about him all along.  
  
Shinta had understood everything since the very beginning. All along he had been doing his best to support his other selves through their pain and he had worked hard to bring them together, even to the point of nearly sacrificing himself that night Yanagi was defeated. That's who Kenshin is after all…protective to a fault, always ready to give his all for the well-being of those around him. Stupid, foolish, wonderful Kenshin, who understands everything, even when he seems to know nothing at all.  
  
They were all parts of a whole, the three of them. If that week taught us anything, it made us all realize just how complicated a man Himura Kenshin really is. He is a product of the many different lives he's lived, and unlike Yanagi he learns and builds on those experiences, using his own strength to see the best in everyone, even his enemies. That's the kind of man I want to be someday.  
  
Watching him do his chores, I rest my chin on my hand and remember everything that went on then. It's been awhile since then and life's pretty much returned to normal now, or at least as normal as it ever gets around here. The dojo's doing better with each passing month, I'm that much closer to mastering Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, and Kenshin's smile is real as he laughs with Kaoru in the sun. He's really found his happiness, and thanks to him I'm starting to feel that much closer to mine.   
  
TBC…  
  
Poor Yahiko got a bit shafted in the continuity of the story. I felt he deserved his own little chapter, and hopefully it shed a little more light on Shinta too (who ended up far more complex than I'd imagined him being at the beginning of this fic!). Remember, reviews make Calger happy! ^_^ 


	19. Vignette: Sagara Sanosuke

Prism Vignette: Sagara Sanosuke  
  
by Calger459  
  
Conventions: *…* is emphasis, //…// is thoughts  
  
Ah, yet another character vignette. The purpose of these mini-fics is sort of two-fold: to fill in holes I unintentionally left in the storyline, and to expand on the characters a little further from what I covered in the chapters. This is my first time writing Sano POV, I hope it works. Enjoy! This is placed within chapter 8b.  
  
Disclaimer: Sano would be the first to say that I don't own squat. Neither does he of course, otherwise he wouldn't owe me such a big Aku Cookie® tab (courtesy of Akai-san and Shinta's Kitchen, coming soon to Food Network. Err, j/k ~_^).  
  
~*~  
  
Kenshin is one arrogant son of a bitch.   
  
It's strange to say that of my best friend, but it's the truth. From the moment I first laid on eyes on him, I knew there was something different about this guy I'd been hired to fight, something that set him apart from the others. It wasn't just his girly looks or the weird sword he used, although those were certainly unusual. No, it was his eyes, particularly on that night I first appeared at Jou-chan's dojo on Gohei's payroll, hired to fight a legendary warrior. I'd been looking forward to the fight ever since the offer was made, and to be honest I was almost disappointed when I saw how shrimpy he was. Then I saw those eyes, sharp with intelligence and experience, and I began to realize that this guy was far more than he seemed.   
  
Kenshin's eyes were, and often still are, like mirrors: reflecting the world around them, hiding their owner's secrets from view like the most loyal of bodyguards. I'd never met anyone like him before; I was used to my gambling buddies, the kind of guys who laugh and smile honestly, wearing their hearts on their sleeves and sharing their troubles freely over a couple jugs of sake.  
  
Kenshin is *nothing* like them. He's closed off and distant, never volunteering information about himself unless it's absolutely necessary. I've spent days with him where he says maybe two whole sentences, tops. He does all the housework for Kaoru: cooking, shopping, laundry, cleaning, all with a sunny false cheer that masks the pain I know lies underneath. For the longest time after I became his friend I couldn't understand why he acted like that. To a guy like me it just didn't make sense. If you were angry, you kicked some ass. If you were happy you showed it, and if you were unhappy you also showed it. Even if complaining to friends didn't get the problem solved, venting at least made you feel better afterwards. I don't think Kenshin knows how to vent; it's like the very concept is foreign to him, the notion that maybe talking out your troubles and comparing notes with other people could help you find a solution to your problem. He keeps everything bottled up inside, arguing with himself in circles until he's lost all perspective. He usually keeps this up until something awful happens to him or someone around him—like the attack on Tae-san's family by that cannon-freak henchman of Enishi's—then it all comes out in a sort of rush, like his story about Tomoe and the Bakumatsu.  
  
Damn, and I thought *my* life sucked.   
  
There are times, though, when he doesn't try to hide behind any kind of mask or front, where he tells the whole truth without leaving out any of the details. As I said, after we first met I couldn't understand him, and that led to some pretty stupid shit on my part, actions which forced him to finally show me the truth.   
  
It was just a look from him actually, a simple glance, but it's one I will never forget. Me and Katsu had been attacking the Ministry of Affairs building, part of a plan to restore the Sekihoutai and get revenge on the Meji government. Torn between my past and present, I struck at Kenshin out of frustration, knowing deep in my heart that I would lose. I ran at him, and saw him lean back into battou-juutsu stance, his head lowered, waiting patiently for me to come in range.  
  
We both knew what was going to happen. I could have stopped then; I could have gone around him or run the other way. But I couldn't turn back. I had made my choice, or so I thought: the Sekihoutai over my present life, Katsu over Kenshin, revenge over forgiveness. My own sense of pride wouldn't allow me to break off the attack, so I ran forward, screaming in rage, knowing exactly what he would do. Once when I was little kid I got kicked in the side by a horse, damn near died—that's what it felt like when his sword hit me. I felt my ribs crack and I fell into his arms, the wind knocked out of me. Kenshin hadn't held back at all, I realized in astonishment. He'd faced me as an equal, and took me out as an equal. Despite the difference in our ages and experience, I wasn't a child in his eyes. I looked up into his face, only inches from mine, and forgot to breathe.  
  
The mirrors were gone. I could see all the way to the bottom of his eyes, to his true soul, and that's when I finally understood. He hides his true feelings because if you saw the real thing, if you saw how raw and tortured his soul really was, you wouldn't be able to sleep at night. Taking me out not as an enemy, but as a friend, had been almost more than his gentle heart could bear.  
  
It's not hard to guess then how I felt when he later broke his promise to me and left for Kyoto. Our friendship had always been a bit rocky, but I honestly never thought he would just up and disappear. I thought he was my friend, I thought he understood what friendship was supposed to be about, but he left us behind as if we didn't matter, as if no one was supposed to care what became of him. That stupid, arrogant, selfish, pig-headed kisama of a swordsman! That's what I thought at the time, in my fury which really was my way of hiding how hurt I was, because that bastard Saitou had been exactly right. I was a weakness, and in Kenshin's mind the only way to protect what he cares about is to put the burden completely on his shoulders. That idiot is so full of himself sometimes, and he doesn't even realize it. He never will either, because he doesn't do it out of some inflated sense of ego. He does it because he is so kind.   
  
I thought about all of this as I followed Battousai out of the Western Quarter after his little run-in with Yanagi, and by the time we were halfway home I was all but spitting with rage. I couldn't get the memory of Kenshin with his sword at Yanagi's throat out of my mind, and I was appalled at Battousai's arrogance. Don't get me wrong, I wanted that slimy bastard Yanagi to get his, just not by Kenshin's hand. Stupid Battousai, how dare he put Kenshin's vow in jeopardy! The decision to kill should involve all three of them, and for him to act on his own without any care for those around him…I wanted to strangle him, kick him, *something*.   
  
I glared at his back, my shoulders tensing in anger. *"Don't presume to understand me, Sanosuke, when I don't even understand myself"* What the fuck was *that* supposed to mean?! What wasn't there to understand? Wasn't it obvious what he was? Only a selfish bastard would have done what he'd done, and he was killing the rurouni with his actions. My friend didn't deserve this. Kenshin didn't need this shit from anyone, especially not himself! That arrogant, evil—  
  
Before I realized it, I was running. I was flying at him, and then my hand was on the his shoulder, pulling him around to face me. I screamed obscenities into his shocked face, barely aware of what I was saying. "How dare you! I won't let you off that easy!"  
  
I lunged at him, and with all the speed and power I could I tried to punch him in the face. He blocked easily, his sheathed sword coming up to keep my fist far from his head. "Don't be foolish, Sano," he said with infuriating patience, his flat amber eyes carrying just enough of a patronizing glint to make my blood boil.  
  
"Don't look at me like that, dammit! I'll kick your ass right now!"  
  
I struck again, knowing I was no match for him, and again he deflected my attacks with no effort. He shook his head at me. "It's foolish to fight when you know you'll lose."  
  
"Shut up! You had no right to come out here tonight! What if you had killed him? I thought you took that vow for a reason, you heartless jerk!"  
  
I had meant to wound him with that, but I was honestly suprised see hurt flash openly though his eyes. He looked away. "I didn't realize you thought so little of me."  
  
"You certainly seem to think little of the rest of us! You always do this; you keep us around while it's convenient then ditch us when we don't agree with you! What the hell gives you the right to do whatever you damn well please? What are they going to say when you get back, huh? You think they're going to welcome you with open arms knowing what you almost did? Don't you care about what they feel?"   
  
The silence was deafening. Battousai's arm was still braced against mine, and as the moment wore on I could feel it trembling. Trembling? I blinked in confusion. Why would he be—  
  
Battousai suddenly stepped away. He stood with his head down, his face hidden. "What are you saying?" Slowly, he lifted his head and met my glare of challenge with eyes like amber glass. "Do you wish to fight me then?"   
  
"Yeah, I do. Someone has to punish you for this. I know the rurouni sure won't!"  
  
"Very well." He nodded once before vanishing into thin air. //Shit. // I tensed and whirled, unsure what direction he'd be coming from, and nearly got my neck broken when his sheathed sword came down from above. I ducked and rolled away from him, but he was on me before I could even stand up, slamming the butt end of the Sakabatou into my gut.  
  
I cried out at the bone-crunching impact and grabbed onto the sword, pulling him to me. I rained blows down on his back, but it was like striking steel and I quickly realized my mistake when he wrapped his arms around my waist and shoved upwards. Using my size to his advantage, he slung me bodily onto his shoulders and threw me several feet. I landed badly, and though I rolled to my feet automatically the damage was done; my gut was on fire and I realized that he'd struck the same spot he'd kicked so viciously earlier. He wasn't holding back at all now; this Kenshin was a true fighter, and he'd survived this long by knowing exactly how to take down his opponent. I'd lost this match, and I glared at him with open hostility. "What? Is that all? Aren't you gonna kill me now for getting in the way of your little vendetta? You three were supposed to fight him *together*. How much longer do you think the rurouni will last when you can't even keep one goddamn promise!"   
  
I tensed automatically, fully expecting to be hit for that, but Battousai simply stood there, gaze averted, the sword in his grasp trembling slightly. I was shocked out of my anger when he finally looked at me.  
  
The cold, self-assured assassin was gone. In his place was a stricken teenaged boy, and his expression of fear was so alien to Kenshin I almost didn't recognize it for what it was. I looked into his eyes—now mysteriously violet—and felt my own eyes widen in disbelief. The mirrors were gone. I could see now into his fractured mind, could see that—  
  
No. *No*, it was wrong, it couldn't be—   
  
"Stay away…" I whispered hoarsely. I got to my feet and stumbled away from him, back the way we'd come.   
  
"Sano…" Kenshin's voice was almost pleading, and he looked at me with unfathomable sorrow.   
  
//Shit. *Shit*. // I backed away from those broken eyes. "What the hell are you? *Who* are you?"  
  
He didn't say anything, and looking back on it now, remembering the awful look on his face when I said that to him, I don't think he really knew the answer. I cringe when I think about that night. I feel like such an ass; I nearly killed our friendship that night, all because I had been too stubborn to accept what my heart knew was true, that the hitokiri was as much my friend as the rurouni. Battousai was no stranger to me; he had fought alongside me in Kyoto, defended my honor when Saitou used me as bait to lure him from the depths of Kenshin's mind, saved me from myself during the Sekihoutai incident. He was my comrade-in-arms, and yet I treated him like complete shit, as if he were some lower form of life.   
  
I regret that now. Even though everything turned out all right in the end, I still regret it. I still wonder why I reacted to him the way I did. Maybe, deep down, I needed someone to blame for Kenshin's pain. Maybe I was afraid of the similarities between the hitokiri and myself, or maybe I just couldn't live with the thought that I was hating Battousai for the wrong reasons, that hating him meant also hating a piece of myself.   
  
Whatever the reason, I made the rift between Kenshin's three selves worse with my ignorance. Kenshin would never agree with me, but that battle between them in the rain a few days later was as much my fault as theirs. Battousai felt shunned, rejected, and despised by everyone around him…is it any surprise why? Kenshin isn't some kind of god or demon; he's human like the rest of us, and like everyone else he depends on others for support and companionship. It's easy to forget that sometimes, with all the amazing things he can do. When Battousai appeared we were all so quick to judge him, to dismiss him as something that was almost inhuman. No one ever gave him a real chance to explain himself. Never once did I think to ask him *why* he'd attacked Yanagi all on his own. I think that he probably had his reasons, reasons consistent with the Kenshin I knew and respected. But I'll never really know, will I? I missed my chance forever when I turned and ran from him. At the time, all I knew was that I'd had enough of him, of Yanagi, of the whole damn situation, and so without another word I ran off into the night, towards home and my own bed, leaving him alone with his fears and self-loathing.  
  
I left him, just as he had left me. I ran from the very real agony I saw in his eyes. Suffering exactly the same as that night when Kenshin defeated me soundly for the second time.  
  
Not as an enemy, but as a friend.  
  
TBC…  
  
A/N: Before Jason M. Lee can leap on it: yeah there's grammar mistake in here, and yes it's intentional. I *know* it should be "Katsu and I" not "Me and Katsu" but this is Sano, and it just didn't feel right for him to use the correct form.   
  
Hmm, you know, this scene really *should* in the main storyline, but I'm not sure how I would go back and put it in there, because I really like it from Sano's POV. Going back and reading through the earlier chapters of Prism that I realized that I'd implied an awful lot about the period of time immediately following the first Yanagi/Battousai confrontation, but I never actually explained any of it. I thought it would be appropriate for Sano's vignette to explore that further, since that was an important moment in the their relationship and I kind of missed the boat the first time around. I hope this makes up for it. 


	20. Vignette: Kamiya Kaoru

Prism Vignette: Kamiya Kaoru  
  
by Calger459  
  
Conventions: *…* is emphasis, //…// is thoughts  
  
The K&K vignette. Yayness ^_^ Takes place primarily in chapter 8b. Hmm, noticed a trend with these vignettes yet?   
  
Disclaimer: The occasionally fairy-tale romance of K&K and associated characters is property of Watsuki-sensei, Sony, ADV, MediaBlasters, blah blah blah. Getting *really* sick of writing these…  
  
~*~  
  
I remember the warmth in his golden eyes when he looked at me. *"This whole thing must be so hard for you. And yet you put up with our petty arguments and keep smiling through it all. I wonder how you do it."*  
  
He asked me that with wondering eyes, and I answered him with perfect confidence, certain of my own feelings even as he seemed to doubt his own. Battousai didn't deny my love, but I could see how it troubled him, how he struggled to reconcile his dismal self-image with the good I saw in him. I remember saying to Kenshin once that he reminded me of an onigirii with two plums hidden inside, one bitter and the other sweet. It was a comment made in a fit of anger; we'd had a minor disagreement that day (an unusual event for us), and his unpredictable mood swings in response to that argument had begun to drive me crazy. "Sometimes I feel like I never know which plum I'm going to get, Kenshin. I wish you'd just pick one and be done with it!" I wanted to yank those thoughtless words back into my mouth the minute I'd uttered them, especially seeing the horrified expression on his face. Kenshin has so many layers, so many carefully built barriers against the world, and I could feel every one of them rise up to shut me out. I couldn't find a way past those walls, no matter how many times I apologized to him.   
  
We hardly spoke at all the next day, which isn't unusual on days I teach at other dojos. I'll be gone for hours while he stays home taking care of the many chores. By the time I get home we're usually both so exhausted we just fall asleep in each other's arms without saying a thing. That was normal, that was accepted; that wasn't a cause for concern or pain. But this brooding silence from him, while I was at home and wanting his company, was another thing entirely. It was torture…that's the only way I can describe it. I think his self-imposed distance hurt him as well, because that evening at dinner he quietly set his chopsticks down on the rim of his rice bowl and apologized for his behavior. "Sessha hasn't been feeling quite himself lately. I shouldn't have overreacted to such a minor thing. I'm so very sorry." He then did something he never does; he actually slid backwards on his knees and bowed to me in apology, his forehead almost touching the floor.   
  
I remember sitting there with my mouth hanging open in shock for a full minute before I had the presence of mind to snap it shut in indignation. "Kenshin, I'm the one who made such an awful comment! You don't need to blame yourself for every little thing …" I bit my lip to keep from saying something really stupid and glared down at the table. The air shifted slightly beside me and he slipped his hand, incredibly gentle yet so very strong, under my chin. The eyes that met mine were dark and sad, a far cry from the laughing wanderer I was used to.   
  
"There have been things weighing on my mind lately, koishii, and I showed poor control over my emotions yesterday. I was wrong to take it out on you. Besides which...your statement was quite true, and truthfully I was a bit surprised by it. You're right, I need find a way to decide which plum is the true one, and you've already done a great deal to help with me with that, for which I'm eternally grateful."  
  
Have I really been helpful? I wish I could agree with him, I wish I had his sort of confidence. But in the end, what have I really done to reconcile the competing sides of Kenshin's personality? This current situation has me feeling so *useless*; all I can do really is sit back and watch him fall apart. While I can certainly show him that I love him, and will always care for him no matter what happens, I want to do more. I want to take away his pain and free his mind from the struggles he goes through everyday. I know I can't do that though; this is his battle. Still, if only I could have somehow known how apt my little analogy would turn out to be, maybe I would have been more prepared. I could, perhaps, have done more to help all of them. Two plums, and the rice that holds them together…  
  
Thinking back again to Battousai's question, I have to admit that I don't know how I keep smiling in this situation. Sano has been gone for several minutes now. He left to find Battousai, who slipped out secretly into the night with his own agenda, one that I'm terrified to think of.  
  
How could he have done something like this? *How*? I knew the hitokiri was impulsive, I knew he could be reckless, but to go after Yanagi alone…I glance over at the rurouni, Kenshin's gentler self, and wonder at the differences between them. I would never expect such behavior from the logical, level-headed wanderer. At the moment Kenshin is sitting cross-legged on the floor next to the still-sleeping Shinta, who despite all the commotion over Battousai being missing hasn't even stirred. He must really be exhausted, I think with a slight smile. Moving to sit by the rurouni, I reach over to touch his hand. He starts slightly at the contact, and it is all I can do not to cry at the desolate look he gives me. "It will be all right." I say with a confidence I don't really feel. "He'll come back."  
  
"In what state?" Kenshin's voice is strained. His hand trembles under mine. "Who will he be when he returns, Kaoru? You saw him in the market today, you saw his madness. He just keeps getting more unstable and dangerous and I fear for Sano, going after him alone." He looks away from me, out through the open door into the cool night, where the crickets are singing softly. "What if neither of them comes back?"  
  
"Don't talk like that!" My words come out harsher than I'd intended, and he flinches slightly. I quickly squeeze his hand in apology. "Kenshin, you can't think that way! What happened today, yes it was terrifying but no matter how angry he was, I don't think he would have really hurt Akari-san. He's still *you*, and that's not the kind of person you are. You don't…fight people without good reason." I wince at how bad that sounds, but my poor choice of words doesn't seem to bother him; he doesn't even blink. I plunge ahead. "And it's not really his fault anyway. You said he's only out of balance because you're not with him, that things would be different if you were whole. You shouldn't judge him for something he can't help."  
  
There is a long silence, and I wonder if I've said too much. After all, what do I really understand about Kenshin's mind? I can't relate to what he's been going through; I just have one mind to call my own. I'm *me* no matter what happens…I didn't go through what Kenshin did, didn't suffer like he did. Even with the opportunity to talk to the different segments of his mind, I still don't understand him. All I have to go by is what my heart tells me: that Battousai is not a bad person.  
  
"I heard a story once," he says softly, interrupting my thoughts. "I don't remember where, or who told it to me, but it is about two wolves."  
  
I blink, taken aback. "Wolves?"  
  
He nods without looking at me. "Yes. Inside every person there is a terrible fight between two wolves. One is good: he is joy and peace, compassion and empathy, serenity and faith."  
  
Already, I am captured by his words. Kenshin rarely tells stories, but when he does…I could listen to him forever. "What about the other wolf?" I ask hesitantly. I think I know where he's going with this, and it gives me a terrible feeling.  
  
"The other wolf…is evil. He is anger, envy, sorrow, greed, arrogance, ego, self-pity, guilt. In the end, the wolf that wins…is the one you feed."  
  
I wait tensely, hardly daring to breathe. "Kenshin?" I ask uncertainly, tightening my hold on his hand.  
  
His expression is thoughtful. "Battousai exists for many reasons. He didn't appear suddenly; it was slow at first, just hints really, little changes in my behavior that everyone around me noticed, even if they were too afraid of me to say anything at the time. It worried me, this shift inside me, but I felt powerless to stop it."  
  
Kenshin…powerless? Looking at his profile in the dim starlight, I wonder how I could have been so ignorant as to believe that he had never felt that way before in his life, that he had always known how to handle everything…I mentally smack myself for that thought. Kenshin is far from perfect, and really he hasn't handled this situation well at all. It is far beyond the crisis he's faced before…  
  
He is still speaking. "With each new mission, each murder, I could feel him growing stronger. I could have stopped him, I could have quit killing for Katsura-san, left the Ishinshishi…but I didn't. I needed to finish what I had begun, and so I stayed. My own insecurities and stubborn convictions allowed him to fester inside my heart, until there was almost nothing left of the person I was before." His hand is shaking now in my grasp. Poor Rurouni. He's so gentle, so anxious, so vulnerable. He can't bear this kind of strain…  
  
"He frightens me." I almost don't catch his tense whisper. "He is everything I'm not, and if he wanted to he could overpower me. I mean nothing to him, Kaoru…he left on his own because he knew I'd slow him down, that I wouldn't let him kill his enemy. I would only get in the way, so he left me behind. As much as I believe in Sano, he can't stop the hitokiri. All I can do now is trust that Battousai will stop himself…but I can't do that. I just *can't*."  
  
"You…called him Battousai," I say stupidly, at loss of what else to say. His fears are my fears, and I wonder what the hitokiri is doing right now. Where is he, what is he thinking? What is he feeling alone in the dark? Kenshin doesn't reply, and I don't pursue it. It seems foolish to argue the point; Kenshin is so visibly upset by what his other self has done. Maybe, in this case, the name is appropriate.   
  
I put my arms around him and he settles back against me with a weary, but grateful sigh. It is completely dark inside the room now, the lamps having burned out long ago, and the moonlight does not reach inside. I curl around him, keeping him safe and warm in the shadows. "It's all right," I whisper to him. He turns to face me; hiding his face in the space below my neck, he clutches my kimono like a lifeline. I run my hands slowly through his thick hair, trying in some small way soothe his fears. "They *will* come back Kenshin," I whisper to him. "Maybe he is what you said…maybe he's the darker wolf. But he isn't evil. I simply can't think that of him, because I can't think that of you." I kiss the top of his head, smoothing his unruly hair back as if he were a child himself. "He is a part of you. He came from you. He will make the right choice."  
  
"What if he doesn't? You saw what happened this afternoon."  
  
I sigh against his hair. His stubbornness can be so frustrating. "Well you'll just have to give him a good talking to when he comes back then, won't you?"  
  
"I…" He hesitates, and I can almost hear what he is thinking: *I can't control the hitokiri.*  
  
"Kenshin, you have to do this." I feel my confidence return as I realize what the rurouni must do. "You said that you allowed him to exist, that even though you knew what was happening to you, you let him become stronger. The way I see it, that makes you responsible for him. You know him better than anyone else, and you simply can't let this conflict keep tearing you apart inside. If there is going to be peace between you, you're the one who needs to make the first move. I think you know I'm right. You need to connect with him, Kenshin. You need to show him that you care about him and that you're there for him. It's the only way."  
  
We sit in silence for a long time after that, our mingled breathing the only sound in the room. I can tell that he is thinking carefully about what I've said, and I wait patiently for him to answer, knowing that he will eventually. He always does, after all.  
  
"All right." He sits up in my arms and looks me full in the face. I see that his despair is gone; there is now only conviction in his sharp gaze. It's such a relief to see that familiar spark of determination. For a while, I was afraid I'd never see it from him ever again. "I will wait in our room for him to return. I think…that I should probably do this alone."  
  
I nod in agreement. "I will stay nearby if you like."  
  
He considers that, then shakes his head. "No, you go ahead and rest. As you said, it will be all right." He smiles at me, a true smile, and I lean forward to kiss him, my fear temporarily forgotten in the safety of his arms.  
  
"Kaoru…thank you." He whispers to me when we finally pull apart, his voice thick with emotion.  
  
"Hai." I gather Shinta in my arms and we walk together to our room. At the door I turn to him, wondering if he is really ready for this. I know that it can't be easy for him. "I am always with you," I remind him softly.  
  
His eyes glow lavender in the dark, filled with love, resolve, and most of all, hope. "And I with you, koishii."  
  
I understand then, as I walk away to join Akari-san and Megumi-san, that everything really will be all right.  
  
TBC…  
  
A/N: I didn't come up with the wolf thing. It actually came, believe it or not, from an email someone at work sent around as sort of a spirit-lifter (I work at a Catholic school, go fig). It's a Native American story, Cherokee according to the forward. It seemed appropriate to Kenshin, and I'll bet there's some Japanese equivalent to this story. Anyone in the audience versed in Japanese folk tales?  
  
The onigirii: this was sort of a veiled Fruits Basket reference actually, but for those who don't know rice balls usually have a pickled something or other (often a plum) on the back of it, in plain sight. Kenshin I guess would be like a stuffed rice ball (um, do they even make those?); you can't clearly see what his filling is. Well I hope it works, because I like the analogy, I really do…  
  
Chapter 15 (aka the Epilogue) is coming SOON! See you there! ^_^ 


	21. chapter 15

Prism  
  
Chapter 15  
  
by Calger459  
  
Conventions: *…* is emphasis, //…// is thoughts  
  
*sniff* It's finally over! My god, nearly a year and over 100,000 words later my epic is done. It feels a little…unreal. You guys have been simply awesome. I wrote a little tribute to everyone who's reviewed so far; you'll find it posted as a separate chapter along with my end notes. Large parts of this chapter were written to: the background track "Space Lion" from Cowboy Bebop, "Serenade" from Fruits Basket, the end theme "Hamasaki Ayumi" from the first Inuyasha movie and the opening theme to "Gladiator". I recommend them as appropriate mood music ^_^ Okay I'll shut up now so you can read, on with the fic!  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own RK, etc. etc. Thank god this is the last one of *these* I'll have to write for awhile!  
  
~*~  
  
Held close in Kaoru's arms that night, Kenshin dreamt.   
  
The summer sun shone hotly on the rurouni's back as he climbed slowly up a steep and rocky mountain trail. Sticky sweat dripped down his face and the stones under his hands were painfully sharp as he negotiated a small rockslide blocking part of the path. It all felt so real, but Kenshin knew it wasn't. It couldn't be, because he had just fought Yanagi, and that had most definitely been at the dojo. His suspicions were confirmed when he finally reached the end of the trail. He stepped out from under the trees into a field of light. Yes, definitely a dream; there's no way he could really be in Kyoto.  
  
Hiko's cabin stood at one end of the sunlit clearing. On the opposite side grew a huge old tree, its side heavily scarred from years of practice strikes. His master was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the rurouni saw Battousai sitting next to the tree on a low rock. He was dressed in Kenshin's old student gi, dark blue with a white collar, the same outfit he'd been wearing the day he'd left Hiko's mountain to join the war. He sat with his eyes closed, his back against the trunk and a katana propped comfortably on his shoulder. Kenshin took in his counterpart's strangely serene expression. He looked almost happy in the summer sunlight. This puzzled the rurouni; it had never been like this before. Whenever he'd had this dream in the past Battousai had always been agitated and on guard, usually stalking about the clearing practicing kata with an almost single-minded fury.   
  
Kenshin turned his gaze to the young boy who sat on the ground near the hitokiri. Shinta, wearing a plain green gi and hakama, was happily playing with a small wooden top. Kenshin smiled sadly. He recognized the toy; it had been his father's last New Year's gift to him. Kenshin remembered playing with it often growing up. Even up until Tomoe's death he'd kept it with him, spinning it at odd moments, allowing himself to be mesmerized by the patterns made by the colorful rings painted on the upper surface. He'd always found its distraction a welcome and comforting escape from the bitter realities of an assassin's existence. It was a habit his first wife had always tolerated with a small, strangely knowing smile, as if that one action from him had revealed the truth hiding beneath Battousai's cold mask. That toy was long gone now, left behind in the little house in Otsu to burn with Tomoe's remains, but he wasn't surprised that a part himself still remembered what it had meant to him.   
  
Battousai opened his eyes. He smiled faintly at his older self. "I was wondering when you'd come."  
  
The rurouni's response was automatic; this dream was always similar. "The trail was longer than I'd remembered. Sorry I'm late."  
  
Shinta looked up. "That's okay. We've been having fun."  
  
//It's exactly the same. // Kenshin sighed and sat on the ground next to Shinta. Given recent events, he really thought this dream would have faded, but clearly his counterparts were still here. Still, this was preferable to the horrific memory-dreams where he relived the Bakumatsu in agonizingly vivid detail. The blood and smoke of the battlefield in those nightmares often seemed more real to him than the waking world, and some days it took several long hours of cooking and laundry to finally clear the stench of death from his senses. His dreams were one of the many reasons why he slept so fitfully at night, getting up well before sunrise to plunge into morning chores by the cold gray light of dawn. Thankfully, his nights had greatly improved after his marriage to Kaoru. Her solid and reassuring presence by his side gave him a sense of internal peace he had been unable to find as a wanderer, and with that stability his nightmares had finally begun to lessen in strength.   
  
The rurouni idly fingered the long blades of grass around his feet, casting sidelong glances at his other selves. So why then, he wondered, after everything that had happened, were the three of them still sitting here? "Nothing's really changed has it? We're still the way we were before."   
  
"Don't be ridiculous." Battousai reached into his gi and pulled a small shiny object. With a sharp snap of his wrist he tossed it to the rurouni, who caught it easily.   
  
Kenshin blinked, confused by the triangular chunk of glass he now held. "What's this?"  
  
"Give that to Kaoru for me." Battousai remarked with a lazy yawn, settling back against the tree and closing his eyes. He seemed ready for a nap. "She'll know what it means."  
  
The rurouni was confused by this, but he obediently tucked the prism away into the sleeve of his faded magenta gi. "All right, but…are you sure you wouldn't rather go in my place for a while?"  
  
The hitokiri snorted and folded his hands behind his head. "Not a chance. I've had enough of daily life to last me a lifetime, thanks. Besides—" he opened one eye and cast his counterpart a mischievous glance, "—it's not like I'm far away. I'll be here when you need me again." At another time, the rurouni reflected, there would have been the hint of a threat in those words. This time though was different. Battousai now sounded almost…wistful. Even hopeful.  
  
//Hopeful… // He frowned slightly at the teenager. "I don't understand. I thought we decided we were one."   
  
Battousai didn't answer immediately. He stared out into the forest, his expression thoughtful. After a long moment he turned somber violet eyes on the rurouni. "We are but…you can't deny that a part of me will always be a relic of the past. My time came and went with the age of swords. I can't deal with normal people, not like you can."  
  
"I suppose that's true. However, we need each other, now more than ever. Kaoru wishes to see you, and I can no longer hide you as I've done in the past. You need to learn to live with them, on your own terms."  
  
Shinta nodded in agreement. "He is right, Kenshin-san. Your lack of control in this situation was partly from the way you have existed until now. Things have to change, or we will never know true peace."  
  
Kenshin glanced at his child-self, who sounded nothing like a child at the moment, and wondered not for the first time just what the boy's true purpose was in all this. Shinta had always been there in his mind, but he most often kept to the background, observing the dreamscape arguments of his other two selves without comment. Before Yanagi, Kenshin had never really questioned the child's existence; he has simply been part of a recurring dream, nothing more. But now that the dream had, at least for a time, become reality, he wondered. Was Shinta a manifestation of Himura Kenshin's innocence, his conscience, or something else entirely? It was a little unnerving to be asking such questions of himself. Kenshin had never been the type to dwell on the insanity his brain chose to produce each night; dreams for him normally had little bearing on the real world. However, the boy's existence was undeniable, and the rurouni was beginning to have the distinct feeling that, at least from Shinta's perspective, the entire incident had been some sort of test. A test of what, he wasn't entirely sure.   
  
Battousai frowned, but made no move to argue the child's point. "I suppose so, but it won't be easy. We won't be the same man as before."  
  
The rurouni looked up at that. "Of course we will. The difference is we will be more *balanced* from now on. I agree that it won't be an easy thing to do, but if we are to prevent something like this from happening again, it needs to be done. You understand that, I hope."  
  
Battousai sighed heavily. "I suppose so."  
  
Shinta smiled triumphantly and stood, slipping the top inside his gi. "Then it's decided! This means tomorrow I get to play with Ayame-chan and Suzame-chan, right?"  
  
Battousai gave the boy a strange look. "Shinta-kun?"  
  
"Yes?" He replied innocently. He glanced at the rurouni, and seemed taken aback by the suspicious look the other was giving him. "What?" He looked back and forth between his older selves. They were both giving him very searching stares, and he surprised them both when he suddenly burst out laughing. "Oh goodness, obviously you're both dying to ask the same thing, don't let me stop you!"  
  
The rurouni blinked in shock. He spoke without thinking. "Who are you really?"  
  
Shinta seemed highly amused. "Who do you think I am?"  
  
"A judge," Battousai said abruptly. The rurouni gave him a startled look. He'd been thinking much the same thing. "Or something like that. It was your goal from the beginning to reconcile the three of us, wasn't it?"  
  
Shinta tilted his head to one side and gave the hitokiri an intrigued look. "Was it? I'm flattered you think I'm that devious!"  
  
"Just answer the question," the rurouni very nearly growled. "Did you take advantage of the situation? I couldn't help feeling like both Kenshin and I were being manipulated this entire time, as if being split were some kind of test of our mental integrity."  
  
The child's eyes went very wide. "Goodness, I'd think that would be something the gods would've set up, wouldn't you? It wouldn't have been my idea! For the sake of argument though, let's say that it *was* a test." He sat back down, tucking his hands away inside his sleeves with a thoughtful expression. "Do you think we passed?"  
  
The older Himuras exchanged uncomfortable glances. "I don't think so," Battousai said quietly.  
  
Shinta shook his head. "Try again, Kenshin-san. What were we thinking of the day Yanagi appeared?"  
  
The rurouni blinked in slow realization. "That…Enishi's Jinchuu was the start of something more."  
  
"Do you still think that?"   
  
Kenshin considered this carefully, feeling Battousai's almost anxious gaze on him. //He's looking to me for an answer. In the end, they always defer to me. Why is that? // "It seems…that I was wrong. If my mind were truly falling apart, then we would never have been able to come back together. So I guess we passed...and that there was really nothing to worry about in the first place."  
  
The hitokiri relaxed visibly beside him. Shinta grinned and winked at the both of them. "Very good, Rurouni-san! But as for *me* and who I am, you're making it far too complicated. If you want to know the real answer, just ask Kaoru-san. She had it right all along. C'mon Rurouni-san, let's go!"  
  
"But—" Battousai began, a dumfounded expression on his face.   
  
//He's brushed us aside again. But I think I know what he means. // The rurouni stood, feeling strangely satisfied. //She compared us to an onigirii. Pure white rice binds two plums, the inner substance, together. Kaoru, you are so much wiser than the others give you credit for. // He reflected on this as he made his way to the edge of the clearing, Shinta skipping happily alongside him. He remembered saying to Kaoru that he was surprised by the truth in her statement. He knew that this wasn't because *she* had said it, but because he had honestly never thought of himself it those terms. But it was true, wasn't it? He wondered if the same could be said of Sano, Yanagi, or even Saitou. //Human minds are so complicated. I don't think I will ever really understand what happened here. // He paused at the tree line and glanced back over his shoulder at Battousai, who was still sitting on the rock staring after them blankly. "Well, aren't you coming?"  
  
The hitokiri hesitated before getting up and coming over to stand with his other selves. All three stared down the path and Battousai gave a soft, surprised gasp when Kenshin took hold of his hand, threading his fingers gently through the hitokiri's. The rurouni's tone was reassuring. "Don't be afraid."  
  
Battousai shook his head slightly, his face apprehensive. "Things won't be the same."  
  
The rurouni just smiled. "No. They'll be better."   
  
Together, the three stepped onto the path and into the waking world.  
  
~*~  
  
Kaoru watched Kenshin gradually come awake. It was rare for her to be up before her husband, and she always cherished the opportunity to watch him sleep untroubled, his youthful face free of the fine lines of tension it normally wore. The sun's light framed his hair in highlights of brilliant gold, and that same color seemed for a brief instant to enter his eyes as he opened them. It faded quickly though, leaving Kaoru to wonder if she had imagined it. //Oh it doesn't matter; he's beautiful. // Kenshin's eyes were now a luminous violet, and Kaoru felt her heart warm as she took in his handsome features, which were hers alone to enjoy. //I'm a lucky woman indeed. //   
  
"Hey there," she whispered, tightening her arms where they were looped loosely around his back. "How are you feeling?"   
  
Kenshin blinked fuzzily at her, his exhausted mind and body obviously still caught between waking and sleep. Kaoru smiled in understanding and reached up with one hand to brush a few stray bangs out of his eyes. She waited for him to respond with a "good morning" the way he always did, but he remained silent, staring at her in slight confusion. "Kenshin?" A small knot of worry formed in her stomach. "Are you okay?" When he still didn't answer her, she felt the beginnings of panic creep up her spine.   
  
Trying to steady her breathing, she studied his face, looking for signs of trouble. His skin was still slightly ashen in color and there were faint shadows under his eyes. Clearly he was still not well, but he looked worlds better than he had the night before when he'd collapsed into her arms in a dead faint. Those panicked few moments had called up for her very unpleasant memories of Kyoto, when Kenshin had nearly died from his injuries. Kaoru was grateful that Megumi had stepped in last night to take over the situation, working quickly to stop the profuse bleeding from his shoulder. The wound had fully reopened when his bodies had recombined and the wound from the ougi had worsened as well, making it difficult for him to breathe even in sleep. He had seemed to stabilize quickly after that, but taking in his still uncomprehending expression Kaoru felt her worry turn to fear. //Oh gods what if…what if he was hurt worse than we thought? // "Kenshin?" She gave him an anxious shake.   
  
The panic in her voice seemed to finally stir him and he blinked, his eyes focusing on her fully. "Kaoru…I'm all right."  
  
//He sounds so weak. // Kaoru swallowed hard. "Are you sure? We were worried, after last night…"  
  
"Last night?" he murmured vaguely. "Did something happen last night?"  
  
Kaoru's eyes startled wide and she sat up on the futon, eliciting a startled "oro!" from her husband when she pulled him up with her. She pressed a hand to his forehead. "Strange, you don't seem to have a fever. Maybe I should get Megumi-san—"  
  
"I'm fine." He interrupted, sounding more awake. Steeling himself against the ache in his shoulder Kenshin pulled her hand from his face and held it tightly. "What happened last night? Why wouldn't I be all right?"  
  
Kaoru gaped at him in disbelief, her fear turning to alarm. "Don't you remember? Yanagi came and you…you put yourself back together somehow. You seemed okay after that, but so much happened between the three of you. We were worried that somehow you wouldn't be, you know *yourself* when you woke up…so…." She trailed off at the bewildered look on his face.  
  
"Three?" He asked faintly. His gaze turned inward and he pressed a hand gently against his temple. After a moment, his expression cleared and he looked up at his wife with wide eyes. "Oh, THAT." To Kaoru's astonishment he grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head with one hand in embarrassment. "Sorry, I wasn't sure what you meant at first. I didn't mean to worry you. It's just that it's not like that anymore in here—" he tapped the side of his head "—so for a minute, I didn't remember."  
  
"Wait…what?" Kaoru suddenly felt light-headed. Kenshin winced as the grip she had on his other hand became white-knuckled. "Are you saying you don't remember the last *week*!? I think I really should go get Megumi-san…"  
  
Kenshin started to laugh, and Kaoru was too stunned by the sound to protest when he pulled her into a tight hug. "Of course I remember, but all those memories are one now. Does that make any sense?" He tried to kiss her on the cheek, but she turned her face away with a small gasp, growing tense and still in his arms. Kenshin drew back a little in surprise and hurt. "Kaoru? What's wrong?" She shook her head, refusing to meet his eyes. They sat that way for a long, uncomfortable moment. He sensed that Kaoru wanted desperately to change the subject. He swallowed around his doubt with difficulty, surprising himself with how normal his voice sounded. "What of Yanagi?"  
  
"Oh..." She cast her gaze downward. "They're gone, the two of them. I tried to convince Akari-san to stay here last night, but she refused. She took Yanagi and left, and really he was in no condition to stop her. I think they went back to their hotel, but I can't be sure." She hesitated a moment, seemingly unsure what to say next. "Um…Megumi-san wanted me to check your wounds when you woke up."  
  
The conversation ended on that awkward note, and Kenshin didn't say anything more as Kaoru carefully unwrapped the bindings around his shoulder. Her movements were careful and hesitant, which he found odd considering she had bandaged wounds—specifically his—many times before. She wasn't relaxed around him right now the way she usually was, and he felt his throat tighten at the distance that had appeared between them. Reading her ki he could *see* the nervousness and uncertainty hovering about her like a dark shadow, and he struggled to explain where it had come from. Last night was mostly a scattered blur to him, but hadn't there been a dream? Yes, he'd dreamed right before waking up…he tried to remember what it had been about, but the details stubbornly refused to surface. //Figures. It was important too, I know it was. // He frowned, frustrated by his lack of memory. //There was something I was supposed to remember... // Admitting defeat for the moment, he tried instead to remember the previous evening. He did recall some things; there had been his family there and Yanagi as well. After that though…nothing. Had he done or said something during that time to make Kaoru unsure about him? The only thing he *was* certain about was that for a time there *had* been three of him; his most recent memories didn't make sense otherwise. //It all seems so unreal. How did I get back to normal again? //  
  
Kenshin risked a glance at his wife. She still wasn't looking at him, and he could tell there was something else bothering her. Drawing on one of his clearer memories, he decided to make an educated guess. "I should apologize to her."  
  
Kaoru kept her eyes lowered as she finished tying on the new bandage. She didn't need to ask who he meant. "Why?"  
  
He sighed heavily. "It seems strange I suppose, after what he did but…mentally Yanagi will never be the same. I wish there had been another way to stop him, a way that would have healed him but…perhaps this is for the best. Still, I helped take Akari-dono's husband away from her. I should apologize."  
  
Some of Kaoru's nervousness visibly eased with his words. Kenshin frowned slightly. //Why is she nervous at all? // "I feel badly for her too, Kenshin. But you didn't do this to Yanagi. He brought this on himself; he's the one who lied to her and hurt her. You shouldn't feel badly about that, not after what he did to you. Besides, you had to make sure he wouldn't hurt anyone else, right?"  
  
"I guess," he muttered.  
  
Kaoru looked up at the sharp, almost bitter edge in his voice and gave him a searching stare, her nervousness returning full force. Forcing his doubts from his face, Kenshin smiled at her tiredly. "I hate to ask this, but there wouldn't be any breakfast would there?"   
  
Forcing a smile through her obvious anxiety, Kaoru nodded. "Of course. I'll be back in a moment."  
  
~*~  
  
Kenshin had hardly settled down to his meal when the rest of the Kenshin-gumi came barreling in to join him, their own breakfasts in hand. While all of them were obviously relieved to have their rurouni back to normal, Kaoru felt annoyed by their rather intrusive attempts to figure out just how this experience had changed him, if in fact he was different at all. She could tell that he was trying not to let his frustration show as he fielded their various questions.  
  
"So," Sano said conversationally between large bites of his breakfast. "You feeling okay?"  
  
Kenshin shrugged carefully, mindful of his shoulder, and exchanged his finished miso soup for a bowl of rice. "The injuries aren't serious. I'll be fine."  
  
Sano raised an incredulous eyebrow. "Maybe not serious to you, but Shinta sure looked like he was feeling those wounds last night. The things he did were amazing though. That was some light show you gave us."  
  
Kenshin stared blankly at him. "Light show?"  
  
Yahiko nodded. "Yeah. Shinta did all this cool ki stuff and then when the other two fell off the roof there was this big *poof* of light. It was neat."  
  
Sano rolled his eyes. "Light doesn't go *poof* you idiot."  
  
"Shut up! I'm just tellin' it like it is!"  
  
Kenshin looked back and forth between them, completely at a loss. "Wait, I don't remember any of this."  
  
There was shocked silence at his words and Kaoru sighed. She pointedly ignored the confused stares her friends turned on her. //Why do they keep looking to me? It's not like I have any answers… // She laid a careful hand on her husband's shoulder. "I already told you, Kenshin. You put yourself back together again after Yanagi blew up the bathhouse." She had to bite her lip to keep herself from saying anything impolite about that. She didn't even want to *think* about how much those repairs would cost, and in the meantime they would be forced to pay for public baths.  
  
Sano was staring at the rurouni in open disbelief. "Wait a minute, you don't remember being separate at *all*? You've got to be kidding me."  
  
"Did I say that?" Kenshin asked, half to himself, his face thoughtful as he poked at his rice with his chopsticks. "I remember the past several days, Sano, just not in the same way you do, I think."  
  
"Ken-san," Megumi said carefully. "Maybe it would be better if you tell us what you *do* remember."  
  
It took a moment for him to answer. "Last night, Yanagi came here. I remember that. Then I fought him…and at some point I suppose I did end up on top of the bathhouse. But after that I really don't remember much of anything until I woke up this morning."  
  
"You remembered Akari-san," Kaoru reminded him softly, "and what happened to Yanagi."  
  
Kenshin nodded slowly, his eyes sad. "Yes, but not anything around it. It's a bit confusing, I'll admit."  
  
Sano scowled and sat forward. "You've lost me, Kenshin. I don't get what you mean by all this memory stuff. So you're saying you remember some things but not others? What about that big scene you made in the market the other day? You remember *that*, right?"  
  
Kenshin winced. "That was…an unfortunate mishap, Sano."  
  
"I'll say," his friend grunted. "What about after that?"  
  
"You mean immediately after? I went to the Western quarter to find Yanagi."  
  
"And? Where were the rurouni and Shinta during all that?"  
  
"Here." Kenshin answered, giving Sano a strange look. "But to me it seems like I did all those things. There's no difference."  
  
"No difference…" Megumi looked concerned. "How can that be, Ken-san? You did all those things at the same time!"  
  
Yahiko had an unusually thoughtful look on his face. "So that means you really *are* in one piece again, right? Battousai and Shinta are inside *you*. And the things Shinta did…you've always been able to do stuff like that?"  
  
Kenshin's expression darkened. "I remember a little of what you're referring to. I was trained to use ki primarily to strengthen my sword techniques and allow me to predict fighting intent. Unlike Yanagi, I never learned to use my swordsman's spirit as a weapon. However, that doesn't mean I wouldn't be able to improvise in an emergency, especially for defense. I did what I had to do to protect…myself, and Kaoru."  
  
There was a long moment of awkward silence, broken only by the cheerful chirping of birds, a sharp contrast to the mood of the room. "You could have died, Ken-san." Megumi said very quietly.  
  
"I nearly did." Kenshin looked down at his unfinished breakfast. "Though I have some trouble remembering being separated, I am nevertheless very relieved to be whole again."  
  
Sano finally smiled. "So are we, Kenshin."  
  
"It's weird though." Yahiko glanced outside. "I keep expecting Shinta to come bouncing through here any minute, or to see Battousai practicing outside. I kind of got used to them being around."   
  
A soft knocking at the front gate startled everyone, and Kenshin automatically started to rise to answer it.  
  
"I'll get it, Kenshin." Sano said quickly, standing up. "You rest, all right?"  
  
Everyone blinked as he rushed out, all a bit stunned by his thoughtfulness. "That rooster-head certainly has been a bit odd lately…" Megumi murmured, half to herself. Kaoru couldn't help but smile at the comment.  
  
~*~  
  
Sano in turn couldn't help but stare impolitely when he opened the gate to find Akari standing on the other side. Automatically he looked around for Yanagi, but the man was nowhere to be seen. "Hey there," he said uncertainly. "Didn't expect to see you back so soon."  
  
Akari's frosty glare was enough to make even Sano squirm. "I need to speak to Himura-san please, if he is available."  
  
Sano nodded and stepped back, waving her through the gate. He had rarely seen such a cold expression on a woman's face, and he imagined Akari couldn't have had a very pleasant time after taking her husband from the dojo last night. He decided that being unassuming for a while would be the wisest course of action, and he trailed well behind her as she strode purposefully up to the house.   
  
~*~  
  
The Kenshin-gumi tried—and failed—to conceal their surprise at Akari's arrival. She knelt down gracefully across from Kenshin. "Good morning, Himura-san," she said, bowing formally to him. "I'm relieved to see you looking well."  
  
He nodded back hesitantly. "Thank you, I'm all right now. There's really no need to be so formal, Akari-dono. Why have you come this morning?"  
  
She straightened up and met his gaze steadily. "Mostly, to see how you were doing. I'm afraid though that my time is limited so I'll come straight to my other reason for being here. I want, if you'll allow me, to offer repairs to your bathhouse. My husband's accounts should more than cover the damage he caused last night."  
  
Kaoru gasped softly. "Oh Akari-san no, we couldn't possibly accept that!" She actually surprised herself a little with her answer; it was seemingly an ideal arrangement, seeing as she had no idea how they were going to fix the building on her meager income. Kaoru forced those thoughts away before they could show on her face. "It's a kind offer but really, we don't need it. We have our Kenshin back; that's enough for us."  
  
Akari frowned at her. "I'm afraid I must insist, Kaoru-san. Since my husband is no longer capable of taking responsibility for himself, I must do it for him. Think of it as my apology for his actions and accept it graciously, please. That is what I ask."  
  
"But…"  
  
"Thank you, Akari-dono." Kenshin interrupted quietly. "We will accept your offer."  
  
Kaoru threw him a shocked glance. "Kenshin!"  
  
The swordsman covered her hand with his and Kaoru stilled at the look in his eye. She recognized that authoritative glint. "We're grateful for your help Akari-dono, but I can't help but think you would need that money for yourself. You said that Yanagi could not take responsibility for what he has done…please, where is he now?" Kenshin's gaze had softened again, his eyes clouded with guilt. Kaoru stared openly at her husband, fascinated despite herself. //He seems so... //  
  
Akari sighed wearily and brushed a few stray bangs out of her eyes. "He stopped talking on the way back to the hotel last night. By the time we got there he wouldn't even acknowledge my presence. He seems to have pulled into himself, and I don't know what he is thinking now. I left him at the hotel, under the watch of the staff. They are charging him for the damages he caused earlier this week…" Her voice started to waver and she clenched her fists in the fabric of her kimono. The strain in her posture was clear for everyone to see. "Even so we are not poor people, Himura-san. I will have enough left for myself. When repair arrangements have been made I will take my husband back to Osaka and we won't bother you again. That, I promise."  
  
"You're being unfair to yourself." Sano said darkly from behind her, where he sat with his back against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. "Why should you have to suffer for what he did? Don't worry about the bathhouse Akari-san; I'm the one who's gonna end up fixing it anyway."  
  
"Hey," Kaoru muttered in protest, but silently she agreed with her friend.  
  
Kenshin bowed his head, long bangs shadowing his eyes. "I am so sorry this has happened to you Akari-dono. I should have found another way to—"  
  
"*No*." Everyone looked up at Akari's fierce protest. "No Himura-san, you are not at fault here! Don't apologize for what he did to you. You were in your rights to defend yourself and your family. Yanagi did this to himself."  
  
Kenshin gasped softly at her words. Kaoru could see the denial in his face, and understanding finally set in. //They're all right there, aren't they? Rurouni, Battousai, even Shinta. Yahiko was right. // She had felt so apprehensive about him, convinced that he would somehow be radically different after everything that had happened to him. //But he's not…he's really himself again. // Relief flooded through her, drawing a startled look from Kenshin, and she tried to blink her tears away before he could see them. It was too late though; his expression grew concerned, and she hurriedly focused her attention back on Akari.   
  
"You're still being unfair," Sano repeated unhappily.  
  
Akari smiled slightly. "Perhaps. Still, you have all been so kind to me. This really is the least I can do to thank you for all your help. I have to go back now. I will be in touch, Himura-san." Akari bowed again and rose to her feet.  
  
Megumi watched as Akari left the room with her chin held high, and she caught Kaoru's troubled gaze. "That woman, what she's doing now, living by her own strength…it is truly an admirable thing."  
  
~*~  
  
Akari felt numb as she walked away from the dojo. It was hard to focus her mind on any one thing; there was still so much to be done before she could leave this city. Coming through with her offer to Himura would not be as easy as she'd made it sound. While she was used to handling the daily finances, as most married women were, the details of Yanagi's accounts and how much money they really had were a mystery to her. Her husband's stubborn refusal to speak only made the task more difficult, and she felt her irritation toward him rise.  
  
Maybe it was thoughts of him that made her glance toward the river as she crossed one of the many larger bridges leading to the Western quarter. She blinked sharply in surprise when she spotted a familiar figure sitting far below her on the bank. Akari gasped aloud and ran to the end of the bridge. Picking her way down the steep, grassy slope as fast as she could without tripping on the hem of her kimono, she stumbled to a halt beside Yanagi.   
  
He was sitting very still, one arm draped loosely across his bent knee. He was staring sightlessly out at the water, and Akari followed the general direction of his gaze. On the opposite bank some children were flying kites. Their innocent laughter drifted on the wind, and as she knelt beside her husband Akari decided the sound formed a rather strange backdrop to the scene. She anxiously scanned her husband's face. It was shocking just how much he had changed in the past several days. Yanagi had always been on the thin side but now he was positively gaunt, his eyes slightly sunken in their sockets. His light gray eyes, which had always shone with a spirited fire, were now dull and lifeless. If he noticed the woman crouched beside him he gave no sign of it. Akari found it hard to keep her emotions in check seeing the desolation in his face.  
  
She sank to her knees, not caring if her kimono got stained with grass and mud. "Yanagi, how did you get here? I left you at the hotel." When he didn't reply Akari finally gave in to her weariness and rested her forehead on his shoulder. She was exhausted beyond words, and she shifted to sit close beside him in the thick grass. They remained that way for some time and after a while Akari began to talk, knowing that on some level he heard her. "I should be angry with you, you know." She turned her head to watch the children run and play together, unmindful of the two adults observing them. "You lied to me, Yanagi. You beat me." She thought that over for a moment, and was a bit surprised by how numb she felt. //Maybe I'm still in shock. Takani-sensei warned me that might happen. // Akari breathed deeply and closed her eyes. She didn't want to think about herself right now. It seemed strangely unimportant. "You hurt me, far more than I deserved. You're such an idiot." Tears stung behind her closed lids, but she made no effort to stop them. For once she didn't care who saw her cry. "I still don't understand how you could have done this to yourself. I wish you would tell me. I wish you would talk to me. I should be so angry with you, and I am, but for some reason I still love you. I guess I'm stupid too." She laughed at that, but there was no humor in the sound.   
  
"I'm cleaning up your mess," she continued, resting her head again on his shoulder. "The hotel, Himura-san's home; I'm paying for everything you did. When you come out of this funk you're in, I expect you to thank me. After all, who else would be this stupid for you?" She looked over at him. His eyes were still unfocused, but she thought she saw just the barest glimmer of life there. "I don't know why you came out here, but until you get up on your own I'm not taking you back. I don't care how long we have to sit here, as long as it's together. Understand?"  
  
Yanagi didn't respond, didn't acknowledge that he'd even heard her. Akari again followed his empty gaze to where the children were still playing, their kites soaring high on the midday breeze.  
  
And the river flowed on, uncaring of the world's troubles.  
  
~*~  
  
Kaoru stared at her rurouni in confusion. "The market? Why? We were just there!"  
  
Kenshin smiled mysteriously and adjusted the silk gi around his shoulders. "I remembered something I needed there, that's all. I won't be gone long."  
  
"So why won't you let me go with you?" she demanded, propping her hands on her hips and sticking out her lower lip in a stubborn pout. "You're still not well!"  
  
"I'm *fine* Kaoru." He said in exasperation, checking the contents of his wallet before tucking it inside his sleeve. "I promise I won't get into any fights with anyone. I won't even take my sword. Okay?"  
  
Kaoru had the absurd impulse to say "That makes me even *more* worried!" but she kept her mouth shut. Wasn't she the one who'd told him only few weeks ago that he *shouldn't* go around armed? Still, it was strange to hear him speak in a casual manner so reminiscent of Battousai and she wondered what this trip was really for. //I suppose if he's really more balanced than before…I'll be hearing him talk like this more often. It's going to take some getting used to. //  
  
Kenshin paused in the doorway and flashed her a gentle rurouni smile. "I'll be back soon, don't worry."  
  
Kaoru sighed again and nodded. "Come back safely."  
  
~*~  
  
Yahiko glanced up at Kenshin as they made their way to the market, wondering for the millionth time why the older swordsman had asked him to come along. "I don't get it Kenshin, are we going to buy food? I thought you guys did that yesterday."  
  
"We did, and you'll see." Kenshin said, a small smile on his face.  
  
Yahiko raised an eyebrow, wondering why his mentor seemed to be in such a good mood all of a sudden. Though he was back to normal physically, Yahiko could tell something was different about him. It wasn't exactly a bad difference, the boy realized. Kenshin seemed more as ease now, and he held his head high as they walked, where before he'd always let it hang down, long bangs shadowing troubled eyes. It was weird, Yahiko thought; Battousai's ferocity and Shinta's playfulness, all swallowed up again behind Kenshin's polite front. How exactly did that work out? //That's the real mystery isn't it? I'm not sure even Kenshin knows what really happened to him. // Yahiko mentally shook his head and forced himself to pay attention to their surroundings as they neared the center of town. The lunchtime crowds were unusually dense today, and he had to press close to Kenshin to keep from losing him.   
  
"Yahiko."  
  
The boy nearly ran into him as the swordsman came to a sudden halt. "Huh?"  
  
Kenshin jerked his head toward a particularly thick gathering of people. "Look there. They're having a kendo demonstration."  
  
"Oh!" Yahiko eagerly stood on tiptoe to try and see through the crowds. He could hear the clash of bamboo swords, but couldn't see the actual match. "Darn it, it's too crowded! I wonder what school they're from."  
  
"Miyako-sensei's I believe. They were having a demonstration the day before yesterday when I was here with Kaoru, and I knew they were having one today also. She seemed to think it would be a good way of advertising the dojo, if you two did something similar."  
  
Yahiko was beaming. "Hey, you're right! Thanks Kenshin, I wouldn't have known about this otherwise! Kaoru hasn't taught over there for a while." He glanced at the swordsman, who was giving him an odd little smile. "What?"  
  
Kenshin shrugged and kept walking. Yahiko hurried to keep up as they passed the center of the market, heading into the more isolated portion where the gaijin usually set up shop. The young samurai was completely baffled by the older man's behavior. He didn't bring him to the market just because of the kendo demonstration did he? //Wait, is he trying to... // "Hey, Kenshin?"  
  
"Hmm?"   
  
"When you said this morning that you remembered everything that happened to you…did you mean that?"  
  
"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't," Kenshin replied matter-of-factly.  
  
"Yeah, but I mean *all* of it, even the things that I…uh, I mean—"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh," Yahiko said in a very small voice, suddenly uncertain how to proceed. The silence was extremely uncomfortable.  
  
"You're wondering if that has anything to do with me mentioning kendo."  
  
Yahiko nearly jumped in shock, astonished at the other's directness. "How did—"  
  
Kenshin was smiling again, though kept his eyes trained straight ahead. "It wasn't hard to guess. Go ahead and ask me, it's all right."  
  
"Ah…okay, well I was just thinking that those fighting techniques you showed me before were really useful. I'm sure even Kaoru doesn't know that stuff, otherwise she would have taught it to me already. Would you…I mean you wouldn't have to show me Hiten Mitsurugi to help me be a better fighter." He paused, expecting Kenshin to object the way he usually did when asked this sort of thing, but the swordsman remained silent. Yahiko forged ahead. "It's not just that though. There's something else you can help me with that I know she can't."  
  
Kenshin's expression now held mild surprise. "Oh, and what would that be?"  
  
Yahiko gathered his courage. "Well, I know you said you don't remember, but that ki thing you did after your bodies came back together was really cool."  
  
"'Ki thing?'"  
  
The boy nodded. "Yeah, everything around you kind of went *woosh* —" he waved his arms about to illustrate "—and then everything around you just sort of shattered without you even touching it. I saw you do it with Enishi, too. How exactly do you *do* that?"  
  
Kenshin considered his answer. They were walking past the foreign shops now, and Yahiko had to really try to not be distracted by all the strange merchandise they were passing. "To be honest, I don't really know. It's a difficult skill to put into words. I have a feeling there's a reason you're asking this."   
  
"Uh yeah, there is. When do you realize that you can do stuff like that? How does it happen?"  
  
Kenshin tilted his head curiously. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Well…I think it happened to me once."   
  
Kenshin nodded. Apparently he'd been expecting this. "Tell me."  
  
"Well, it was during my fight with that cannon guy…you know the one."  
  
"I see." They were both silent for a moment. Enishi's Jinchuu had been a cruel test of their mutual trust, and while Yahiko had eventually forgiven Kenshin for his seeming abandonment of the young samurai, there was still much the boy had not shared with him about that time. "Go on."  
  
"Well, right before you…came back…I was standing there during the fight and I was really angry, and I saw this little leaf float by me and it just…snapped in half. Just like that. I have no idea how it happened, but at the time I couldn't help but think it had broken because of me."  
  
"And you'd be right," Kenshin assured him, a smile of pride on his face. "As I said before, you are well on your way to becoming a great swordsman, Yahiko. Kamiya Kasshin Ryu may not train for ki specifically, but for some swordsmen it comes naturally. I would say that you are one of those."  
  
The boy looked at him with wide eyes. "Really?"  
  
"Really. Here we are."  
  
They had stopped in front a stall filled with a wild assortment of strange toys and devices, some made of materials Yahiko had never seen before. The owner turned to them and started to greet Kenshin with a friendly grin, but then he suddenly tensed, his eyes growing wary. Yahiko stared at the shopkeeper in confusion. //What's up with this guy? //  
  
"Good afternoon," Kenshin greeted politely with a slight bow. "I see you remember me. I wanted to apologize for my behavior the other day."  
  
The man frowned uncertainly. "Yes, well, at the same time I'm sorry if I said something to offend you."  
  
Kenshin shook his head. "No, it was nothing you said. I was not entirely myself, you could say. I was wondering if you had any more of those glass items my wife was looking at when we were here."  
  
The man's apprehension vanished in the light of a possible sale. "Oh! Of course, sir!" Yahiko watched him dig around in a narrow cabinet set against the side of the stall. Out of one of the drawers he pulled out what looked like an angular chunk of glass, and the boy wondered what it could possibly be. Kenshin paid for it and bowed farewell to the gaijin.  
  
"That's it?" He asked as they headed back in the direction of the dojo. "That's what we came all the way out here for, a piece of glass?"  
  
Kenshin just laughed, an easy, untroubled sound that Yahiko had rarely heard from the former assassin. "I'll show you what it does later," he promised.  
  
"Just like you'll show me fighting skills and ki, right?" Yahiko said boldly, giving Kenshin a meaningful look.  
  
The older swordsman nearly faltered in his stride, but he covered his surprise well. "I don't recall having agreed to anything like that, Yahiko."  
  
"Then why'd you ask me out here today? You said yourself you thought you'd made a mistake in refusing to show me anything. This is stuff I'm going to need, admit it!"  
  
Kenshin sighed heavily. "You're right, I did say that didn't I? Well, we'll see. I'll have to talk it over with Kaoru. Remember you're her student, not mine."  
  
"Yeah, that's true." Yahiko agreed sullenly. Still, it wasn't exactly a "no" on Kenshin's part, and inside the boy cheered at his small victory.   
  
~*~  
  
As they neared the dojo Kenshin looked up to see Sano standing outside the gates, hands shoved in his pockets and ever-present fishbone hanging from his mouth, waiting for them. "Oi, Rurouni!" He greeted with a friendly wave. Kenshin grinned back.  
  
"What's going on?" Yahiko asked curiously.  
  
Sano shrugged. "The Fox wanted to have a chat with Jou-chan, so they went walking down to the docks. We're supposed to go meet them."  
  
"Cool, Western ships!" Yahiko's face shone with excitement. "Let's go! Race you!"  
  
"Yahiko, wait!" Kenshin called after him, but the boy was already sprinting down the road.  
  
Sano chuckled. "Kid's got way too much energy."  
  
Kenshin smiled. "Aa, that he does. He's still young though. I envy him a little sometimes."  
  
Sano glanced at his friend in surprise but Kenshin was already moving. Sano hurried to walk beside him. He kept up easily with Kenshin's short stride. Their companionable silence began comfortably enough, but after several minutes Sano found himself fidgeting.  
  
"What's on your mind?" Kenshin asked suddenly, not looking at his friend.  
  
"What? Oh…nothin' really." Sano shrugged uncomfortably.  
  
Kenshin frowned and studied Sano's profile in the fading afternoon light. He could read the younger man easily, and thinking back to one particular moment he could guess what was bothering the young street fighter. "I'm sorry for some of the things I—"  
  
"No." Kenshin blinked, taken aback. "No, Kenshin. Don't apologize. You do way too much of that as it is."  
  
The swordsman couldn't meet Sano's hard stare. "But…"  
  
"Look, I was a lousy friend and so were you. Let's just leave it at that, okay?"  
  
Kenshin scowled down at his feet. "That doesn't change the fact that it happened, Sano."  
  
"It wasn't your fault, you idiot! It doesn't really matter anyway. You're whole again, that's what's important."  
  
  
  
Kenshin shook his head, clearly agitated. "Whole or not, it doesn't forgive the things I did."  
  
The younger man growled in frustration. "For Kami's sake Kenshin, why do you do this to yourself? You always think it's your fault!"  
  
"Because it always is. I make bad choices. I always have."  
  
Sano immediately leapt to defend him. "Now don't you—"  
  
"You can't deny this Sano!" Kenshin looked him full in the face now, his expression determined—and angry, but the anger wasn't directed at Sano. "I chose to become hitokiri, and even more than that I chose to stay hitokiri. I chose to leave you behind when I went to Kyoto."  
  
Sano stilled, his eyes wide. Kenshin nodded slightly. "I would have died there if it hadn't been for you. And in this situation I chose to take advantage of what had happened to do something…dishonorable." Kenshin met the other's startled gaze with one of sadness. "Once again, you were there to save me from myself."  
  
For the first time he could remember, Sano was speechless. *"…saved me from myself…"*  
  
Kenshin smiled, his eyes tired but grateful. "I'm glad you're here, Sanosuke."  
  
Sano struggled with himself. He was strangely flattered, touched, and infuriated all at the same time. "Now wait just a damn minute, Kenshin!"  
  
The swordsman had resumed walking; he paused mid-stride and glanced back over his shoulder in surprise. "What?"  
  
"There is no way in hell Battousai would be apologizing like this! You said you took advantage; maybe you did, maybe you didn't, but the fact is that if you didn't hold your feelings in the way you do all the time, he wouldn't have flown out of control in the first place! You ever think of that? You can't just keep hiding a whole half of your personality!"  
  
"I'm not hiding it!" Kenshin blinked wide eyes. "I'm truly grateful—"  
  
"Bullshit! That's the rurouni talking! I don't believe for one minute that all that frustration and anger you had before just magically went away!"  
  
"Where are you going with this, Sano?" Kenshin's eyes glinted icily. "I thought you said that wasn't my fault. Now that things are back to normal, wouldn't it make sense that those feelings would be gone now?"  
  
"No, because I've seen you snap one too many times under pressure, and frankly it scares me. You don't have to keep up that rurouni mask around us anymore. You can be yourself, dammit! You can tell us what's on your mind. It's what you need to do sometimes."  
  
Kenshin glared at him, and Sano tensed at the ominous amber ring that had formed around each of the rurouni's violet irises. //Whoa, that's different than before… //   
  
"If it's all the same to you Sano, I will decide what I do and do not need to do. To be blunt, being a jackass didn't get me very far when I was younger, and I'd rather not continue bad habits. Being polite can be frustrating sometimes, yes, but it makes my life easier." His eyes softened then, the gold edges fading back to violet. "Still, I will keep your words in mind. Regardless, it does not change what I said before."  
  
Sano sighed heavily and fell into step beside his friend, shaking his head in mild disgust. //I'll never get this guy. // "Whatever you say, man. Just watch yourself, all right?"  
  
~*~  
  
Sano and Kenshin approached the dock where the others were gathered watching the sunset. Their laughter carried on the breeze, and Kenshin smiled at his wife as she turned and waved at him in greeting.  
  
"This has been a hell of day," Sano grumbled.  
  
Kenshin silently agreed. He was both physically and mentally exhausted, but even Sano's irritation couldn't spoil his reasonably good mood. Kenshin was quite surprised at how long his cheer had lasted, actually. He was used to his own cyclical moods, and since he well understood the reasons behind them, having remained relatively happy the entire day despite Akari's visit and his argument with Sano was downright strange. He wondered if it had anything to do with his dream from that morning. Bits and pieces of it had been slowly coming back to him over the course of the day, including some of the conversation between his three selves. Thinking hard, he came to a sudden realization. //The three of us left that field together. As one. Together… //   
  
Kaoru watched him with a thoughtful expression as he approached. Sano meanwhile wandered over to chat with Megumi, and he was relieved to see the younger man's sullen mood replaced by a genuine smile as he bantered easily with the woman doctor. They moved away, escorting Yahiko as he darted away down the waterfront, excitedly pointing out the impressive variety of ships moored there. Satisfied that all was well with his friends, Kenshin turned to his wife. She smiled at him. "How did your errand go?"  
  
"Just fine." He reached for her hands, watching her eyes widen as he pressed something into her palm. "I brought something for you," he whispered. He felt her ki flutter slightly in nervousness as she lifted her hands and opened them.  
  
"Oh…" she whispered. In the glow of the sunset the prism seemed to glitter with a life of its own and she titled it from side to side, fascinated by the way the sun's image was reflected multiple times inside its clear facets. "It's beautiful!"  
  
The voices of the others had grown distant and Kenshin wondered if they had done this on purpose, creating a rare moment of privacy for the couple after their harrowing week. //That's unusually considerate of them. It's probably just this once. // He smiled, both at the thought and at the fact that Kaoru chose that moment to step forward into his arms, resting her cheek against his shoulder with a contented sigh. "Thank you so much," she whispered. Her ki had changed dramatically from that morning, her fear replaced by warmth and trust. It was a tremendous relief to him.   
  
"It is I who should thank you, Kaoru." Kenshin closed his eyes and rested his face against her hair, still warm from the sun. She had done so much for him, this young woman he'd grown to love so deeply since their eventful meeting a year ago. It had taken him his entire life to find a real home. In the ten long years he'd wandered he'd always had to keep his identity a secret, using an elaborate facade of politeness to protect both himself and others from the terrible things he had done in the past. Never in all that time had there been a place where people welcomed him openly, knowing full well who and what he was, but loving him despite it. Before Kaoru, he had believed such a place to be nothing more than a fanciful dream, something a bloodstained warrior like him could never have. The woman who would become his wife chose from that first day to accept him without question or regret, making a space for him in her heart that would always be there to welcome him, no matter how far he wandered. "I wouldn't have made it through this without you. I am too fortunate to have such wonderful people in my life."  
  
Kaoru snuggled against him, turning in his arms so they both faced the deep orange sunset. She moved his hands so they were clasped loosely over her obi. "You say that as if you still feel you don't deserve such happiness. Whatever am I going to do with you?"  
  
Kenshin chuckled, a deep rumble against her back. "Do you really want me to answer that?"  
  
Kaoru just smiled. She held the prism up before them, turning it slowly until it lit with a strange orange fire. "You'd never think," she said slowly, mesmerized by the light, "that something so simple in appearance could do such amazing things. Reminds me of someone I know."  
  
"Kaoru!" Kenshin said in her ear, laughter in his embarrassed protest.  
  
"Kenshin…I have something I need to ask you."  
  
His laughter died. "Yes?"  
  
"You remember what I said to you that day in the clinic, about how I didn't just marry the rurouni?"  
  
He was silent for a moment. //I could never forget that day, Kaoru. Never. // "Yes."  
  
"I meant every word," she continued, staring out at the shimmering sea. "The part of you who is rurouni, who is gentle and sweet and so polite…I love that. We all love that. But you're a human being Kenshin, and no one is that perfect. It's okay for you to get upset sometimes. It's okay for you to let us know how you really feel. I want to know when you're hurt or upset, scared or angry. "  
  
"Sano said much the same thing," Kenshin said, his voice distant. "You seemed so nervous this morning. I was afraid I'd done something wrong."  
  
"No…I'm sorry I made you worry, Kenshin. I was just being silly."  
  
He was silent for a moment, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. "I must admit that before all this happened, what you asked me before might have been impossible."  
  
"Emotion isn't easy for you, not since I've known you." she said understandingly. "Is it different now?"   
  
"Yes…it really is." Kenshin was surprised by his own admission, but he knew it was the truth.   
  
"I'm so glad," she whispered. "I'm so glad you were able to come back to me."   
  
He held her close. "I will always come back, beloved. Always." They watched the sun set together, the prism held close to both their hearts.   
  
~*~  
  
The evening began to cool as the sun set, the sudden chill stirring Akari from the light doze she'd been in for most of the afternoon. She was so *bored*, but she'd made a promise and she would be damned if she was going to break it. She glanced over to where her husband had been sitting and blinked in surprise when she saw his spot empty. "Yanagi?"  
  
Akari stood quickly, looking around her with the beginnings of panic. To her relief, she spotted her husband standing several feet away, looking up the steep bank that led to the bridge. Walking up to him she peered curiously into his face. His expression was still blank, but that faint glimmer of life was still there in his eyes. "Is it time to go back?" she asked him. To her astonishment, he turned his head slightly towards her. The smallest of nods was all she got, but that simple gesture was enough to bring a smile to her face for the first time in days. She took his hand, her face and heart determined. "All right then…let's go."  
  
Owari  
  
A/N: And…that's it. Wow. Thank you all for sticking with me through this crazy story. It's truly been an amazing experience. I borrowed the kendo demonstration idea from I think Istoria's "Last Chance at Glory" (either that or Zosocrowe's "The Giant and the Lion Cub", I can't remember which one) and the idea of the top being a gift from Kenshin's real father came from someone's one-shot fic, but it's been so long since I read it I can't remember the author or title -_-;; If that person's reading this, let me know so I can give you proper credit! Click to the next chapter for end notes, future updates and the reviewer tribute ^_^ 


	22. End Notes and Reviewer Tribute

Calger's End Notes:  
  
For anyone who's read my bio, I'll be moving to Japan in about three weeks, so this will be my last major fic for a very long time. However, there will still be periodic updates on this fic. Writing a novel-length story it turns out is a very involved process, and looking back there are still certain moments that I'm just not happy with. In addition to a general fix-the-typos-and-minor-flow-issues revision, the following scenes are targeted for major revision in the very near future (just in case you guys were interested):  
  
1. Chapter 4. the first Karou/Battousai scene. This is so pivotal to the rest of the fic, and it just doesn't do enough. I was still unsure on how to write both their characters, so it could really benefit from a general rewrite.  
  
2. Chapter 6. Yanagi's background. Ugh, this just drags on and on…this is important background info for the readers, and sets up Yanagi's situation and motivations, but I need to find a better and much more interesting way of presenting the information as he makes his way from the hotel to the dojo.  
  
3. Chapter 8b. The first Yanagi/Battousai fight. This actually isn't too terrible, but I think it could be better. There needs to be more "oomph" to this confrontation, and there should be a bit more tension between Sano and Battousai. IHMO.  
  
4. Chapter 11. The Yahiko/Battousai conversation. God in heaven, this conversation was so frustrating. I'm fine with the actual content of the scene; it's the way it plays out that bothers me. The scene is too long and awkward, and the topics don't flow well still. This scene actually has first priority in the rewrites. Of all the ones listed here, this one bothers me the most.   
  
I'll be quietly replacing the text of those scenes as they're finished. And then, after all that I'm going to do a general revision of An Inn in Hokkaido (maybe I'll save that for the loooong plane ride to Japan…seeing as I can't sleep on moving objects -_-;;). Some scenes just make me cringe when I reread them, especially ones that involve Yanagi. Also, I need to lengthen the time Kenshin lives at the inn (due to the yukata mix-up, which I mentioned in an earlier set of author notes) which will require some extra transitory scenes. I intend to use these scenes to clarify Yanagi's character development, which is a bit confusing even to me. Also the climax of the fic—Kenshin's rescue of Yanagi—still lacks the spark needed for it to be truly dramatic. Some readers commented that it felt anticlimactic, and I agree, so I'm going to fix it. Somehow…  
  
I've also posted the first set of omake my beta-reader wrote for this story (it follows this "chapter" you're reading now), there's another set on the way! I'll post them as soon as she's done ^_^ As for new stories…I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, but if I continue in RK fandom I want to deal with characters aside from Kenshin, because I think I've said my piece as far as he's concerned. Before that though I want to write original fiction, because I think I'm ready now to do something publish-worthy. Thank you all for reading, until next time, ja ne!  
  
~*~  
  
And now, the promised readers' tribute! ^_^ I read every single review I get, and they all make me feel so special. This has been my most successful fic so far, and I wanted to thank you all for your support. This one's for you guys!  
  
Ranma1517730129—to my beta-reader and best friend since middle school, you are an inspiration and a truly special person. I had so much fun in Florida this past week, saying goodbye again was really tough. I think of you every day, and believe me I won't disappear on you :) I'm going halfway across the world…but I'll be back, muwhahaha! *huge hugs*   
  
Jason M. Lee—Seriously, do you live on your computer? Because no matter what time of night I post, you're always the first to review! LOL thanks for being such a dedicated reviewer, I hope you enjoyed the ending!  
  
Imbrium Iridium—to the author of "Tainted Mirror" I give major thanks. What a wonderful vignette, it was such an honor to receive! Your writing is incredible for someone in high school, I expect to see you in the bookstores one day, keep going with your fics! Everyone check out "Dancing Plums and 8th Grade Literature", it's a great story ^_^  
  
Akai Kitsune—another favorite author! Posting with you on the TFME forum is such a blast, especially reading your LIAC skits ^_^ *gives Shinta-chan a very large Aku Cookie and drags Rurouni and Battousai off to play some celebratory DDR* I eagerly await your return to fic-writing at the end of the summer, I know it'll be worth it :D  
  
Linay—*bows low* The master of RK fanfiction herself reviewed my silly little story. My life is now complete ^_^ Keep "Broken Pieces" coming!  
  
marstanuki—see this *did* turn into a Battousai/Kaoru story after all. Well, sort of. Happy now? ^_^  
  
Firefury—another loyal reviewer!! You always have so much encouraging stuff to say, you even stayed up past 3am to read. That's dedication. Arigatou! :)  
  
haku baikou—it's always nice to make another new fan :) You're reviews are always very insightful, and I love your stories! Everyone visit haku baikou's website, it's a beautiful archive of fan-produced art and writing!  
  
Emri-chan—you have the most enthusiastic reviews of anyone I've seen on Ff.net ^_^ You've been a great reader, and it was fun emailing back and forth about stuff. It's cool to be a fan of each other's work, ne?  
  
Colleen—*squeals in glee* one of my favorite authors reviewed me, not once but three times in a row! Ureshii desu :) Oh, and I should say this officially…"Of Two Minds" was honestly the inspiration for this fic. I should have credited it properly at the beginning, but now you're official inspiration-giver ^_^  
  
Selene—I *love* your reviews, with the three personality thing. They always make me laugh, thank you so much! ^_^  
  
Lexa—you're right, I *am* in the wrong profession, hence why I'm trying to get out of it. Hmm…teaching kids to write fanfics, not a bad idea…*grins evilly*  
  
C-Chan—Wai, another favorite author reviewed! My day just keeps getting better ^_^  
  
The Elemental—I'm glad this fic held your attention so long! LOL I know what you mean when you find a fic you just can't stop reading *looks at Fitz meaningfully* "My Life" just wouldn't set me free…not that that's a bad thing *grins*  
  
Chiruken—another person who couldn't put my fic down! LOL hey this is a good sign for getting original stuff published, ne?  
  
supernaturalove—you're reviews are always so long and insightful, and have actually made me aware of things I didn't notice going on with the characters in my fic, which is always very valuable ^_^  
  
Mae, Vesca, Aishteru, AngelsExist, Jovian Angel—thanks for being such loyal and consistent reviewers!  
  
And additional thanks to everyone else who reviewed: Fitz, Michiru Kashyuuno, DarkHorse, KawaiiMoonAngel, Paradoxal Reality, Steel Jaguar, Katharine the Great, amamiya, NightRain, Chri, Amber, AaarikaaA, dernhelm, CurlsofSerenity, Battousai angel, Fanny M, Hypokritika Cynikel, Chris, aku-chan, Starberry Sundae, Leigh,  yawarako,  blaque and wight, kristy, Framling, Nips, Kafei, Anna, JadeAnime, Chri, Kiriko, Crystal, nicky-chan, Sakura Alex, Lere, lizzie, Mokona, Sherry, omochi, Enishi, dragona and Sagara  
  
So that's…wow, 63 people (hope I didn't forget anybody!), and I know there are more readers than that because they've been putting me on their favorite authors lists! ~_^ 


	23. Omake 1

Prism Omake #1  
  
by Ranma1517730129  
  
Part 1  
  
       
  
       "My parents died of consumption, I was sold into slavery, and then I had to be raised by Hiko...Pity me!" Shinta batted his eyelashes at Tae.  
  
       "Ummm, okay, but you still have to pay for that yakisoba." Tae wandered off.  
  
       The other two Kenshins glared at their younger counterpart. "Shinta. How was that supposed to help?" They glared at each other, because it was annoying when people finished your sentences, let alone began them with you.   
  
       "You can't blame a guy for trying. Sano never pays for his food! He's not as cute as me either." Shinta smiled.   
  
       "It didn't work on the fish woman." Battousai snarled.  
  
       "Or the mochi sales girl..." Rurouni sighed.  
  
       "Or the tofu man at the market!" Battousai exclaimed.  
  
       "So why would it work now?" They both ended together again, earning each other another set of comfortable glares.  
  
       "Losing my touch?" Shinta asked them both.  
  
       "No, it's just that Tae found out about all of this from Yahiko. So everyone already knows you're me." Rurouni looked at the younger version of himself. "Besides, your eyes when you do that flutter thing...?"  
  
       "Yeah?" Shinta looked hopeful.  
  
       "They're creepy..." Battousai finished.   
  
       "Creepy?" Shinta looked disappointed. "Not cute?"  
  
       "No." They returned back  
  
       "Why not?"   
  
       "Your eyes, they're too old for your face." Battousai pointed at his eyes and narrowed them.   
  
       "In other words creepy." Rurouni pointed at Battousai who still had his eyes fiercely slitted.   
  
       "Oh." Shinta stared at the tatami under himself.   
  
       "Well, I guess we could always go by the candy stand. She has a crush on me." Rurouni rolled his eyes as he said this.  
  
       Battousai and Shinta looked over at Rurouni. "Have you lost our mind?!? Kaoru would kill you. Remember what she referred to Suki-dono as?" Shinta intoned.  
  
       "Tramp!"   
  
       "Harlet!"  
  
       "Strumpet!" Shinta finished. He looked at them and they broke into laughter.  
  
       "Okay, that word coming out of your mouth is ridiculous." Battousai chuckled.   
  
       "Would it ruin the image to say those sorts of things?"   
  
        "Yes."  
  
       "Definitely."  
  
       "I don't even say those sorts of things now." Rurouni said looking around innocently.  
  
       "You do too!" Battousai exclaimed.  
  
       "Yes, but only to you two."  
  
       "Yes, you would never call Suki-dono a tramp out loud. Or behind her back!!!" Shinta shifted his eyes over to Battousai and then jerked his head toward the aisle where Suki was standing with her hands on her hips and glaring at Rurouni.  
  
       "Of course not. But Kaoru wouldn't get mad if it weren't so shameless. 'Oh hello Kenshin-san, would you like a free sample?'" His voice was done in a high squeaky falsetto.  
  
       "Ummmm.....Rurouni-san..." Shinta warned.         
  
       "Rurouni..." Battousai shook his head and glared.  
  
       "Don't worry! It won't happen again!" Suddenly the shabu shabu bowl was on the elder Kenshin's head. "How could you even say such things in front of a child and an impressionable young man!?!" She stalked away.   
  
        Both younger Kenshin's burst into gales of laughter.  
  
       "That's one girl that Kaoru won't have to worry over for us." Shinta smiled jovially at the hot-pot-covered Kenshin.   
  
       "You and you, will both pay for this." Rurouni snarled. "Vengeance will be mine."   
  
       And so it began.  
  
~*~  
  
Omake #2  
  
       "This is all your fault you know." Battousai stared up at the ceiling.  
  
       "Hmmmm?" Rurouni looked over at the younger version of himself with the negative personality. "How can you say that?" His look became a glare to match the Battousai. "YOU are the rash one! You're the one who decided, "Hey, even though it's someone I can't recognize as either sane or good we'll just go on into the dojo and confront this guy...ALONE!" He stopped his glare and looked away. "Now look at us. We're a living freak show. This way to the Kenshin, that way to the egress." At this he waved his arm in the air from left to right listlessly. "It's times like this I always wish that I'd paid more attention to what Shishou told me..."  
  
       "Don't look at me. I wasn't paying any more attention than you were." Battousai continued to stare at the ceiling. "I bet Shinta knows everything but he isn't saying anything because he wants us to come to some earth shattering conclusion about our split personalities...The only conclusion I've come to so far is that you're both annoying. Oh, and that my left knee doesn't creak, and my right thumb isn't always sore, and I don't think she'd ever say so out loud but Kaoru thinks I'm sexy. It's that whole element of danger thing."   
  
       "That's not true! Kaoru is sweet, and she'd never be interested in someone like you...Well I guess you are good looking, but you don't have my rugged, weathered, distinguished good looks."  
  
       "Listen to mister twenty-seven. Big deal, you've got wrinkles and bunions. I've got stamina." He raised his eyebrows. "Nudge, nudge. Wink, wink."  
  
       "What's that supposed to mean?" Rurouni bit back. "You got laid all of, oh let me try to remember...hmm...ONCE?!? And it wasn't like you were some kind of sex god. As I remember it you were like, "Oh my god I touched her boob! Now what?"  
  
       At this the Battousai blushed madly. "Fine, I'll give you that...but I'm married now."   
  
       "You were married then," intoned Rurouni.  
  
       "Kaoru isn't such a cold prude!"  
  
       "Yeah..." Kenshin and Battousai sighed together.  
  
       "Remember Thursday?" Rurouni looked over at Battousai.  
  
       "I would remember Thursday if the world ended tomorrow." The Battousai let a wide grin spread across his face. "I could never have sex again for the rest of my life sustained on Thursday." Kenshin smiled at Kenshin. "See, we do agree with...some things."  
  
       "We have to become ourselves, I mean we have to become us, I mean we have to be an I again." Rurouni stumbled seriously. "For Kaoru."  
  
       "For Thursday." Battousai agreed.   
  
       "Do you really think this is my fault?" Rurouni looked at the younger man and waited for his reply.  
  
       "What? Us being split up like this? No, I think the blame rests solely with Yanagi. Why do you ask?" Battousai sat up and looked inquiringly at the older man with his face.  
  
       "Because you said..." Rurouni sat up and matched the Battousai.  
  
       "No, I said this—" here Battousai pointed back and fourth between him and the other him "—is all you fault. At least between the two of us someone should be sleeping with Kaoru. I'd like to think one of us should be getting something out of this."  
  
       "Yeah..." They both sighed and then tried to get some sleep.  
  
***  
  
         
  
As a cricket chirruped into the night, two doors down Shinta giggled lightly into his covers //Ah, but one of us is...// and he pressed his face snugglingly into Kaoru's chest.  
  
       "Kenshin..." Kaoru whispered.  
  
       "Yes?" Shinta smiled up at his wife.  
  
       "Stop that..."  
  
       "Yes dear."  
  
         
  
~*~  
  
Omake # 3  
  
"Kaoru?" Kenshin looked around the corner of the dojo for his wife.   
  
           
  
       Yahiko walked over to the addled older man. "Hey Kenshin! What's up?"  
  
       "I have been looking for Kaoru but she doesn't seem to be here. I am getting a little worried." Kenshin shook his head and smiled at the young man. "On second thought...I'm sure she's just fine. No one on this earth would have such bad luck."  
  
       "Oi, Kenshin, look who I found!" Sano walked through the gates to the dojo with Kaoru.   
  
       "See?" Kenshin and Yahiko shared a smile.  
  
       "Kenshin!" Kaoru ran across the expanse of the grounds and threw her arms around her husband. "I found the most perfect fabric and I'm so happy today! I just woke up in the best mood! Well, at least since 'Thursday'." She made little quote signs in the air with her hands. "For some reason I've just been bubbly, and I don't even think Yahiko could bother me."  
  
       "Busu..."   
  
       "See?" She smiled.  
  
       "This is a good thing right?" Sano looked between them worriedly.   
  
       At that moment two identical Kaorus walked through the gates of the Kamiya Dojo. Six more walked around from behind them and two exited through the shoji next to him. Kenshin passed out. 


End file.
